From owner-freebsd-hackers Thu Jan 25 10:55: 7 2001 Delivered-To: freebsd-hackers@freebsd.org Received: from prism.flugsvamp.com (cb58709-a.mdsn1.wi.home.com [24.17.241.9]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6C89037B6AE for ; Thu, 25 Jan 2001 10:54:46 -0800 (PST) Received: (from jlemon@localhost) by prism.flugsvamp.com (8.11.0/8.11.0) id f0PIsHl77720; Thu, 25 Jan 2001 12:54:17 -0600 (CST) (envelope-from jlemon) Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2001 12:54:17 -0600 From: Jonathan Lemon To: Dennis Cc: Jonathan Lemon , hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: if_fxp driver info Message-ID: <20010125125417.L29115@prism.flugsvamp.com> References: <200101250358.f0P3w8g49073@prism.flugsvamp.com> <5.0.0.25.0.20010125130845.030de0f0@mail.etinc.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Mailer: Mutt 1.0pre2i In-Reply-To: <5.0.0.25.0.20010125130845.030de0f0@mail.etinc.com> Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG On Thu, Jan 25, 2001 at 01:12:42PM -0500, Dennis wrote: > At 10:58 PM 01/24/2001, Jonathan Lemon wrote: > >In article > > > >you write: > > > > > >> > > >> > I'll look into the Linux driver, however, and see if it has anything > > >> > useful in it. Historically the Linux Pro/100+ driver has totally > > sucked and > > >> > was chalk-full of magic numbers being anded and ored. > > >> > > >>That's "chock full", and you're confusing the Becker driver (bad) with > > >>the Intel-supplied driver (slightly less bad). > > > > > > > > >The intel driver seems to cover all the bases and has some nice glue > > >routines for determining the part and features available. > > > > > >I havent tested it under load, but I wonder if intel would consider > > >supporting it if someone ported it over to freebsd? they have drivers for > > >just about every other major OS except BSD. it would be nice if the driver > > >was updated BEFORE cards and MBs that dont work started showing up on the > > >loading dock. Every time I get a shipment we have to hold our breath until > > >we try one out. > > > >The documentation is available, if you want to (or have to) sign an > >NDA. People who have the NDA documentation are perfectly capable of > >writing a driver, although the source can't be released. It would > >probably be possible to release a binary driver, but why do anything > >to help Intel, given their unhelpful attitude? > > If they have a published, freely distributable driver for linux. why would > you have to sign an NDA to port it to FreeBSD? > > I dont think so. Not anymore anyway. Thats the whole point of this thread... Having looked at the Linux driver, the FreeBSD driver, and the documentation, I can tell you that assuredly not all of the features are documented in the Linux driver. Also, porting requires changing things, and without an understanding of _WHY_ things are done the way they are, you can end up invaderdently changing something that turns out to be critical. Also, the Intel driver isn't put together very well, so you might end up with a lower performance driver after all is said and done. -- Jonathan To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message