Return-path: Received: from casper.infradead.org ([85.118.1.10]:53231 "EHLO casper.infradead.org" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1750703Ab3DEEBz (ORCPT ); Fri, 5 Apr 2013 00:01:55 -0400 Message-ID: <515E4CB7.6020405@infradead.org> (sfid-20130405_060222_336096_EA56DE78) Date: Thu, 04 Apr 2013 21:01:59 -0700 From: Randy Dunlap MIME-Version: 1.0 To: Julian Calaby CC: Wang YanQing , Johannes Berg , linux-wireless , netdev , "linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org" Subject: Re: [PATCH] lib80211: make lib80211 can be enabled independently References: <20130404160130.GA2577@udknight> In-Reply-To: Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Sender: linux-wireless-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: On 04/04/13 16:51, Julian Calaby wrote: > Hi Wang, > > On Fri, Apr 5, 2013 at 3:01 AM, Wang YanQing wrote: >> >> Current we can only enable lib80211 by enable a driver >> in tree use it which will select it, but some out tree's >> drivers also use it, so I think it has sense to make lib80211 >> can be enabled independently. > > Just as a bit of explanation for Johannes' NACK: > > 1. The only reason lib80211 still exists is because a couple of > in-tree drivers still use it. If this weren't the case, the code would > have been removed a long time ago as it's been completely replaced by > mac80211 and cfg80211. All modern drivers _must_ use mac80211 or > cfg80211 without exception. > 2. In general, there is no official in-kernel support for > out-of-kernel drivers, regardless of quality, status or importance. > 3. I believe that the in-tree brcmsmac driver already supports the > Broadcom card you reference. 3b. If 3. is not correct, someone should endeavor to merge this out-of-tree driver into the kernel tree. -- ~Randy