Messages in this thread | | | From | Rusty Russell <> | Subject | Re: [PATCH] Module alias and device table support. | Date | Mon, 03 Feb 2003 21:34:08 +1100 |
| |
In message <20030203024946.GA90036@compsoc.man.ac.uk> you write: > On Mon, Feb 03, 2003 at 11:52:57AM +1100, Rusty Russell wrote: > > > Well, "modprobe foo" will only give you the "new_foo" driver if (1) the > > foo driver isn't found, and (2) the new driver author decides that > > it's a valid replacement. > > It's not the driver author's decision as to which module an admin would > like to use. This just seems to make things a lot more awkward.
I disagree.
"insmod foo" will *always* get foo. The only exception is when "foo" doesn't exist, in which case modprobe looks for another module which explicitly says it can serve in the place of foo.
This allows smooth transition when a driver is superceded, *if* the new author wants it.
> > going to do this, I'd rather they did it in the kernel, rather than > > some random userspace program. > > Can you explain why please ?
Sure, but you cut the vital bit of my mail. Currently we have (1) request_module() which is used in various cases to request a service, and (2) aliases like "char-major-36", which modprobe.conf (or the old modutils' builtin) says is "netlink". If you introduce a new char major (or, say a new cypher, or new network family, etc), you currenly have to get everyone to include it in their configuration file.
Now, the netlink module *knows* it provides char-major-36: with MODULE_ALIAS() it can say so.
Obviously, there is a place for aliases which are configured by the user: they are definitely not going away. But many are simple enumerations, which are currently duplicated external to the kernel sources.
So I think it's a good idea, even if using it to replace drivers is insane...
Does that clarify? Rusty. -- Anyone who quotes me in their sig is an idiot. -- Rusty Russell. - 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/
| |