Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S932529AbWCHJfN (ORCPT ); Wed, 8 Mar 2006 04:35:13 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S932530AbWCHJfN (ORCPT ); Wed, 8 Mar 2006 04:35:13 -0500 Received: from xproxy.gmail.com ([66.249.82.206]:41407 "EHLO xproxy.gmail.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S932529AbWCHJfM convert rfc822-to-8bit (ORCPT ); Wed, 8 Mar 2006 04:35:12 -0500 DomainKey-Signature: a=rsa-sha1; q=dns; c=nofws; s=beta; d=gmail.com; h=received:message-id:date:from:to:subject:mime-version:content-type:content-transfer-encoding:content-disposition; b=gcVpNgBXifpnykzPRUEkIQ8qONyzEt4YLYqpxsXRNzWFWQkAmvSdueFU2JwQ5aem6iR3X3pJhIBepUTuQfvvdEnoEf7/ASIEwvhgQMC8g3SR2mECG9fV7fvMA1pxM5gHdt3KrAot9wtYXURXHJKjlrlrUvZ6MIiL2hgYYZDxMGo= Message-ID: Date: Wed, 8 Mar 2006 15:05:11 +0530 From: "Anshuman Gholap" To: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: [future of drivers?] a proposal for binary drivers. MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7BIT Content-Disposition: inline Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Content-Length: 2801 Lines: 59 Hello, First, I would like to give you my intro, so that you have a picture who is talking. I am 28 year old from india working as administrator for a hosting company (not naming here cause that will be cheap way to advert it). We have 100+ servers (shared,semi-dedicated and dedicated) and growing steadily, all have linux-distros ofcourse (many RHEL). But i also have 3-4 pc's with me and one laptop, most of them have linux installed, i go digicam not working on linux, webcam not working on linux, dlink 630d pcmcia card not working natively on linux, the list is just too big here (sony 510i not working, etc). I had read earlier Linus Travolds totally opposes the idea of allowing binary drivers to exists along with kernel, but on other hand, i also heard lots like, how andrew morton is stretched for supporting the programmers at various companies who keep sending him drivers for their devices . 1) The people who have control over linux kernel as of now are countable on hands but cannot be held countable for work cause they do it as hobby/"insert anything which says working for free", now for a peice of code like linux kernel, such kind of aloofness regarding manpower and kind_of nazism in not allowing others to dynamically get_work_done (like binary driver) seems totally wrong. 2) there are two possibilities here, a) linus and co can gather in a building pay all intellects and allow fast driver developments, b) allow binary drivers to work with linux kernel dynamically(with their own license what they choose). b) ofcourse is like china accepting democracy cause that the only way to continue living, but although it sounds that extreme, i can see ONLY THAT to happen sooner or later when one day linus is not part of the team controlling linux kernel, so why not start to make it happen right now and shape it the way it can be benificial to everyone? like there is mm kernel we can have kernel-dri-2.*** which the desktop users can use knowingly that third party drivers can work with mixture of lincenses. there even can be rating system for a company which can be rated for their quality of drivers, so the users know before hand. how good or bad the driver (even if he/she isnt codeguru). This email is very raw and not polished at all, this is just a bunch of thoughts which has came to my head after working with linux based distros on home computers as well as enterprise servers years and years now. If something i said here is wrong , i apologise and correct me where you feel so. Regards, Anshuman Gholap admin. - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/