[SOLVED] Suggestion: install kernel firmware into /lib/firmware/$(uname -r)

qweasd · 08-07-2012, 08:24 PM

I noticed that udev shipped with Slackware 13.37 picks up firmware in this order:

Code:

Firmware files are looked up in:
  /lib/firmware/updates/$(uname -r)
  /lib/firmware/updates
  /lib/firmware/$(uname -r)
  /lib/firmware

IMHO, it would make sense to have the firmware in /lib/firmware/$(uname -r). It would be irrelevant to people who use the stock kernel (aside from the necessity to update their custom scripts, if any). At the same time, it would make the life of folks who upgrade the kernel a bit easier, by making the firmware loading a bit more predictable. Moreover, it seems to be the place where Linus thinks firmware should be placed, so it would be in line with the Slackware philosophy.

volkerdi · 08-07-2012, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qweasd

Moreover, it seems to be the place where Linus thinks firmware should be placed, so it would be in line with the Slackware philosophy.

Wait, did Linus really say that? That seems hard to believe. Everyone ships it in /lib/firmware, and I can't think of a good reason to do otherwise, since firmware runs on the hardware that uses it and is not tied in any way to the machine architecture.

GazL · 08-07-2012, 08:56 PM

I was under the impression that the firmware from the firmware git repo was a superset of that shipped in the kernel src tree. If so then I think /lib/firmware is the appropriate place to put it.

/usr/lib/firmware/$(uname -r) seems like it'd be the correct place if one were only using the firmware included in the kernel src repo, but not for that taken from the separate git repo.

But, I could be getting the wrong end of the stick.

qweasd · 08-07-2012, 09:00 PM

Sorry to drag Linus into this, that was uncalled for

Still, I thought this idea was worth airing, and I am not at all dissuaded by the fact that everyone else is doing it the lame way. I didn't pick Slackware because it was a consensus distro

qweasd · 08-07-2012, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GazL

I was under the impression that the firmware from the firmware git repo was a superset of that shipped in the kernel src tree.

May be it's just my ignorance showing. What firmware git repo are you talking about?

Alien Bob · 08-08-2012, 02:54 AM

This is where Slackware -current (i.e. 14.0 and onwards) pulls its kernel firmware from: git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dwmw2/linux-firmware.git .

Eric

qweasd · 08-08-2012, 01:22 PM

What is the difference between firmware set from git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dwmw2/linux-firmware.git and the one that comes with git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git ?

Alien Bob · 08-08-2012, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by qweasd

What is the difference between firmware set from git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/dwmw2/linux-firmware.git and the one that comes with git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux-stable.git ?

RTFM is the most educational answer as always: http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kerne...README;hb=HEAD

OK, here is a copy:

Code:

This repository contains all these firmware images which have been
extracted from older drivers, as well various new firmware images which
we were never permitted to include in a GPL'd work, but which we _have_
been permitted to redistribute under separate cover.

Eric