[epic-bug] cannot initialize SMC9432TX card under Linux after Windows is booted?

[James Ralston]

Donald,

On Tue, 14 Nov 2000, Donald Becker wrote:

> > Oct 31 10:58:03 myhost kernel: epic100.c:v1.07h 8/18/99 Donald Becker http://cesdis.gsfc.nasa.gov/linux/drivers/epic100.html
> > Oct 31 10:58:03 myhost kernel:   The PCI BIOS has not enabled Ethernet device 10b8-0005.  Updating PCI command 0010->0015.
>
> The card was left in ACPI D3 state.  The problem is that the old
> driver structure does not restore the ACPI power state of the card.

Just out of curiosity, do you agree with Linus' suggestion on how this
problem should be addressed within the kernel's driver structure?

http://www.uwsg.indiana.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9910.2/0510.html

> In August 1999 I updated the drivers with a new structure that
> corrects this, and provides many other benefits.  These updates were
> rejected in favor of a new (flawed and incomplete) API, which I do
> not support.

I watched that argument on the linux-kernel mailing list, and I was
afraid this issue was going to relate back to it.  *sigh*

I use Linux day in and day out, for work, personal stuff, and
everything in between.  I sincerely appreciate the effort you and all
of the other Linux developers and kernel developers put into the
system.

But the current philosophical disagreement over the state and
maintenance methods of the kernel networking drivers is a big PITA for
me, and many other people.  For me, it's not so much a practical issue
for me as a political one: if I can't pull out a recent Linux distro
CD (e.g., Red Hat 7.0), slap it on a machine, and have it *work*, then
it makes it difficult for me to convince my managers (and their
managers above them) that Linux is a viable OS.  Yeah, I can rip out
the networking code and put in your latest stuff.  But when they ask
*why* I have to do that, and I explain to them that it's because the
networking modules that ship with the Red Hat distro are the
"official" kernel versions, which are outdated and buggy, and the
*reason* they're outdated and buggy is because the main networking
driver maintainer and the kernel developers (Linus, et. al.) can't
agree on how those drivers should be maintained and included in the
kernel, then it reflects badly on Linux as an OS.

Again, I appreciate your efforts, as do many other people.  But
please, consider renewing/redoubling your efforts to at least reach
some compromise concerning the kernel integration issue.

> See http://www.scyld.com/network/updates.html

I'll go play with this.

Thanks,

-- 
James Ralston, Information Technology
Software Engineering Institute
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA