Features Of Kernel 2.4.x
 

Up to this point, I have been applying a patch from Highpoint Technologies to provide support for my HPT370 UDMA/100 controller. I seem to remember reading in one of the threads that this support would be native in the kernel beginning with 2.4.x; of course, I don't remember what "x" is, and I can't find the thread again.

My questions:

Where can I find out which features are supported in a given kernel?

Does anyone know if HPT370 support is being (or has been) added to the kernel and to which version?

did a quick search on the lkm - apparently, the driver was integrated in the 2.4.1 release, as far as i can tell, but was still having problems up until the 2.4.13. the vm split the development trees for a few weeks, and i think the -ac tree had the most updated driver. the kernel's at 2.4.14 right now.

I sincerely appreciate the response, but I'm going to need some help translating it into english.

What is:
lkm
vm
-ac

sorry :)
lkm - linux kernel mailing list
vm - virtual memory
ac - the alan cox source tree

ok... here's the story in short: alan cox is the #2 guy in linux behind linus torvalds, and he does a lot of the experimental testing for new drivers, modules, and other fun stuff before linus incorporates it officially into the next kernel release.
recently, linus decided to include a complete rewrite of the virtual memory in the official release, and alan cox decided to keep the old version in his tree. vm is very complicated, and it made merging drivers and fixes into the linus kernel more difficult. thus, fixes which have been made to the 370 driver in the -ac linux tree have not yet been incorporated into the official release for the linus tree. so, if you want the updated driver fixes, you'd probably be best off with the ac tree.

Here's an interesting link that talks about this, the percieved 'rift' between Alan Cox and Linus Torvalds which never was, and the future of VM implementation in Linux.


http://www.zdnet.com/zdnn/stories/ne...822789,00.html

i found it kinda funny that anyone ever really thought it was a huge problem. i think it actually shows the experimental and fast-moving nature of linux, as opposed to fractiousness and in-fighting. rik van riel probably isn't too happy about it tho :).

Thanks to all for responding.

zhenwu: the link was very interesting; looks like exciting things are on the way even if they are not quite ready for prime time.