Re: Can't use SYSFS for "Proprietry" driver modules !!!.

From: Adrian Bunk
Date: Sun Mar 27 2005 - 13:38:12 EST


On Sun, Mar 27, 2005 at 07:04:17PM +0100, Dr. David Alan Gilbert wrote:
> * Kyle Moffett (mrmacman_g4@xxxxxxx) wrote:
>
> > <flame type="Binary Driver Hatred">
> > NOTE: I *strongly* discourage binary drivers. They're crap and
> > frustrate poor PowerPC users like me.
>
> I mostly agree - there is one case where I think they *might*
> be acceptable; (and I think the original poster *may* fall
> into this category).
>
> If you are making a very specialist piece of equipment; not
> the type of thing you can go and plug into any old PC; but
> say an entire box with some obscure piece of hardware in
> that no one would want to buy as a seperate add on. I just
> don't see the need to force someone to make drivers for
> this type of thing public.
>...

And then the user want to upgrade the 2.0 kernel that shipped with this
box although the company that made the hardware went bankrupt some years
ago.

If the user has the source of the driver, he can port the driver or hire
someone to port the driver (this "obscure piece of hardware" might also
be an expensive piece of hardware).

Or if the driver is in the kernel sources, it might have even been
ported.

> Dave

cu
Adrian

--

"Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
"Only a promise," Lao Er said.
Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed

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