[asterisk-dev] Re: Kernel modules => mainline kernel

[Benny Amorsen]

>>>>> "PC" == Paul Cadach <paul at odt.east.telecom.kz> writes:

PC> How much zaptel hardware available at the market? How many people
PC> uses such hardware? IMHO not more than 10% of all Linux
PC> installations around the world.

There are drivers in the mainline kernel for hardware which only
exists as a few prototype boards.

PC> When zaptel/asterisk will get stable/rock-solid API, where would
PC> be nice to include it to mainstream kernel tree, but at present
PC> days there is really many changes in drivers/etc. so getting it to
PC> the kernel will slow down development process.

As far as I can tell, Zaptel development isn't particularly rapid. The
stable API thing is a problem, of course. The upstream kernel would
never accept a driver which only works with one specific piece of
software, and which has to be upgraded whenever that piece of software
changes.

I don't see why the rest of us should put up with that either, but
such is life in the Zaptel world.

PC> Similar question - why VMWare's drivers isn't maintained with
PC> kernel? IMHO because they mostly depend on VMware host software,
PC> not on the kernel version (you can use 20+ kernel versions with
PC> the same host software and one kernel with 5 versions of host
PC> software).

VMWare is working with kernel developers to get their driver into the
kernel -- or rather, to make a generic virtualization layer which
works with other software apart from VMWare. It is not lack of
interest on their side which has kept their driver out of the kernel
so far.


/Benny