Return-path: Received: from wf-out-1314.google.com ([209.85.200.175]:21826 "EHLO wf-out-1314.google.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751127AbYJUWX6 (ORCPT ); Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:23:58 -0400 Received: by wf-out-1314.google.com with SMTP id 27so2706023wfd.4 for ; Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:23:57 -0700 (PDT) Message-ID: <1ba2fa240810211523x2327351fxf8c1c54207d7706b@mail.gmail.com> (sfid-20081022_002404_023071_A19F8DCB) Date: Wed, 22 Oct 2008 00:23:57 +0200 From: "Tomas Winkler" To: "Marcel Holtmann" Subject: Re: New iwlwifi 3945 uCode available Cc: "John W. Linville" , "Johannes Berg" , "reinette chatre" , linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org In-Reply-To: <1224627187.9386.103.camel@californication> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 References: <1224613633.10863.43.camel@rc-desk> <1224624324.28639.9.camel@johannes.berg> <1ba2fa240810211433q2e7a13b2p45cb8d38a74393c9@mail.gmail.com> <1224624899.28639.17.camel@johannes.berg> <20081021213814.GM17268@tuxdriver.com> <1ba2fa240810211453y40739183v84999364c89886ee@mail.gmail.com> <1224627187.9386.103.camel@californication> Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: On Wed, Oct 22, 2008 at 12:13 AM, Marcel Holtmann wrote: > Hi Tomas, > >> >> > > On Tue, 2008-10-21 at 11:27 -0700, reinette chatre wrote: >> >> > >> Two new versions of 3945 uCode is now available for download from >> >> > >> http://intellinuxwireless.org/?n=Downloads. Two versions are available >> >> > >> as we have updated the API version of the uCode and included pending >> >> > >> fixes in both API versions. >> >> > >> >> >> > >> Version 15.28.1.8 supports API v1 and can be used with most current 3945 >> >> > >> drivers. Version 15.28.2.8 (API v2) is required when you start using the >> >> > >> latest 3945 driver from wireless-testing at the time it includes the >> >> > >> patch "iwl3945 : Fix a-band association for passive channels". >> >> > > >> >> > > Can you make the driver work with the old ucode? We even do that for >> >> > > drivers where we don't control the ucode like b43... >> >> > >> >> > What for? >> >> >> >> Well, so that installing a new kernel doesn't suddenly break your >> >> network connection and ability to download the firmware, for instance. >> >> If you want more arguments you can go read all the "b43 sucks" threads >> >> about it. >> > >> > Johnannes has a point, that is a lot nicer to users... >> >> Maybe, but it will complicate the code beyond good taste to just >> satisfy the single moment when kernel is upgraded. I don't mean in >> general I mean in this particular case when API changes. >> Anyhow a good distro shell deal with this in packaging dependencies >> and normal person will keep old kernel around when compiling new one. >> Both ucodes can be present on the file system at the same time so I >> hope the risk is low. > > it is the same argument as for everything else. We should be able to run > a new kernel with old userspace. Yet this is not user space, if there won't be a little :) license issue this will integral part of the driver. Tomas