Subject: Re: Handling firmware versions
To: Quentin Garnier <cube@cubidou.net>
From: None <degroote@netbsd.org>
List: tech-kern
Date: 07/18/2007 23:08:28
On Wed, Jul 18, 2007 at 10:23:14PM +0200, Quentin Garnier wrote:
> 
> On Wed, Jul 18, 2007 at 09:33:18PM +0200, Joerg Sonnenberger wrote:
> > On Wed, Jul 18, 2007 at 09:31:03PM +0200, Quentin Garnier wrote:
> > > The way we handle firmwares in pkgsrc is just wrong.  We should have
> > > only one package, that installs all the versions the kernel could
> > > possibly ask for (which means the kernel asks for a specific version).
> > 
> > Keep in mind that the firmware images are not only used by NetBSD.
> > Please carefully consider this before changing any policy...
> 
> There's a policy?  I'd actually like to set one...

I understand what you mean and I agree. The current way we deal with
firmware version is a pain, particulary when constructors decided to change
the firmware layout every two minors revision of firmware ... 

On other side, I don't think it is a good idea that the kernel ask for a
specific version. In most of the case, new version of the firmware solves
internal issues and doesn't need change in the driver. It may not be a
problem in current but in the stable branche, we can't ask for people to
patch by hand their kernel in order to use the new firmware.

On pkgsrc side, what I understand from your proposal is that you want to
rename the firmware so we can retrieve the different versions of firmware.
What joerg says I think is that other Os may not find the firmware file
because it doesn't have the canonical name found in the default install.

-- 
Arnaud Degroote
degroote@netbsd.org