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Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2003 12:57:53 -0700 (MST)
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To: bms@spc.org
From: "M. Warner Losh" <imp@bsdimp.com>
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cc: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: User asks: can we decouple device vendor IDs from drivers?
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In message: <20031031172447.GA716@saboteur.dek.spc.org>
            Bruce M Simpson <bms@spc.org> writes:
: This sounds like one for the NEWBUS people.

A number of people have proposed this in the past.

It is a big deal, and won't be in 5, although a 'treat this pnpid as
that pnpid' might be, which would be sufficient.

The problem with decoupling things entirely from the drivers is that
many drivers will say "if I have this revision of that card, do this
workaround." or "if I'm this or newer, I have this feature" both of
which are broken by the kernel forcing the driver to service a given
hunk of hardware.  The other down side is that when you bork the alias
file on solaris, you are so hozed.

However, it would make the dynamic loading of drivers easier.  

Warner