Linux device driver project needs more unsupported devices to work on!

[praka123]

Oct. 24, 2007

Desktop Linux needs drivers. Right? Of course. So why is Novell's Greg Kroah-Hartman, a Linux kernel developer and head of the Linux Driver Project, having to ask people to tell him about devices that need drivers?

It's a good question, and Kroah-Hartman doesn't have the complete answer. What he does know, as he explained in his blog, is that while the Linux Driver Project now has "over 300 different developers signed up to help create and maintain Linux drivers," at the same time he doesn't have "enough work to keep them busy."

The problem is that even though Kroah-Hartman and his developers are willing to sign NDAs (nondisclosure agreements) for companies that are reluctant to open up their devices to open source, businesses are still hanging back. "What we need now is more companies participating in the project," Kroah-Hartman said.

He also wondered if the problem of Linux device drivers has been overstated: "I don't currently know of any common piece of hardware in use today that is not supported on Linux. And since these vendors do not know, and I don't, I'm asking the world to help out," he said.

Kroah-Hartman asked the Linux Foundation, which has made improved driver support No. 3 on its Linux to-do list, "Specifically what devices did they see in common use that are not supported by Linux (the obvious two video cards [ATI and Nvidia] being a known exception.) Despite this being such a high priority for this group, they had no examples to provide."

It's not just the Linux Foundation; users, as can be seen in early results from the Linux Foundation's continuing Linux desktop survey, also want better driver support. Specifically, they want better support for printers, scanners, USB storage and Wi-Fi devices.

All that said, in mid-October, the Linux Driver Project developers were only working on six projects. Today, only one more project is currently being worked on.

So if you want a specific device that doesn't work on Linux to be properly supported on Linux, Kroah-Hartman would appreciate it if you would mark up the project's Drivers Needed wiki page with the details. Or, for that matter, he encourages you to just e-mail him with your suggestion.

Kroah-Hartman concluded, "If patterns emerge, I'll approach the companies and ask them if they will work with us. Hopefully with your help, we can find some work for these 310 developers to do!"

http://desktoplinux.com/news/NS6669895837.html

[Gigacore]

Nice thread praka bro.... thankz

[The_Devil_Himself]

I hope more and more companies co-ordinate with them.
Thanks praka.

[gary4gar]

@praka
can they fix via unicrome ??
also Finger prints reader & webcams?

[praka123]

^ I too wishes to report the same @gary.but now am using intel mobo with nvidia card and Via board is resting in shelf. 8)
@gary:Openchrome I last checked is really trying to give max support esp 2D.DRI is not supported.VIA is opposing to open their specifications for onboard gfx inspite lot of push.

Let us try to report VIA support problem.it needs someone getting backing from company like Novell to ask VIA to open their specs.
gaursh u try to report.I am coming soon to VIA when my intel board will be taken by its owner

regarding printers,there seems something founded by Linux foundation called http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

[infra_red_dude]

Via UniChrome is prolly the most neglected of the chipsets!!!!

[gary4gar]

Originally Posted by praka123

^ I too wishes to report the same @gary.but now am using intel mobo with nvidia card and Via board is resting in shelf. 8)
@gary:Openchrome I last checked is really trying to give max support esp 2D.DRI is not supported.VIA is opposing to open their specifications for onboard gfx inspite lot of push.

Let us try to report VIA support problem.it needs someone getting backing from company like Novell to ask VIA to open their specs.
gaursh u try to report.I am coming soon to VIA when my intel board will be taken by its owner

regarding printers,there seems something founded by Linux foundation called http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting

have you tried comliing the driver yourself??
http://openchrome.org/
i did it now, lets see for sign of improvements

[praka123]

^i have always compiled and installed this driver,u dint do it yet?is the best driver available for via VFM mobos.it supports 2D only.no 3D rendition.
use ubuntu wiki. https://help.ubuntu.com/community/OpenChrome
apt-get install build essential,apt-get build-dep xserver-xorg-video-via then goes the compiling.after make install, dont remove the openchrome svn directory it is useful to do svn update also if u want to uninstall openchrome.

[gary4gar]

Complied the driver,posting the output from terminal.
@prakash
please check if everything was fine?

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Libraries have been installed in:
   /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/xorg/modules/drivers

If you ever happen to want to link against installed libraries
in a given directory, LIBDIR, you must either use libtool, and
specify the full pathname of the library, or use the `-LLIBDIR'
flag during linking and do at least one of the following:
   - add LIBDIR to the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH' environment variable
     during execution
   - add LIBDIR to the `LD_RUN_PATH' environment variable
     during linking
   - use the `-Wl,--rpath -Wl,LIBDIR' linker flag
   - have your system administrator add LIBDIR to `/etc/ld.so.conf'

See any operating system documentation about shared libraries for
more information, such as the ld(1) and ld.so(8) manual pages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/src'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/src'
Making install in man
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/man'
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/man'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
test -z "/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/share/man/man4" || mkdir -p 
-- "/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/share/man/man4"
 /usr/bin/install -c -m 644 'openchrome.4' 
'/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/share/man/man4/openchrome.4'
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/man'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/man'
Making install in libxvmc
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/libxvmc'
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/libxvmc'
test -z "/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib" || mkdir -p -- 
"/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib"
 /bin/sh ../libtool --mode=install /usr/bin/install -c  
'libchromeXvMC.la' 
'/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/libchromeXvMC.la'
/usr/bin/install -c .libs/libchromeXvMC.so.1.0.0 
/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/libchromeXvMC.so.1.0.0
(cd /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib && { ln -s -f 
libchromeXvMC.so.1.0.0 libchromeXvMC.so.1 || { rm -f libchromeXvMC.so.1 
&& ln -s libchromeXvMC.so.1.0.0 libchromeXvMC.so.1; }; })
(cd /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib && { ln -s -f 
libchromeXvMC.so.1.0.0 libchromeXvMC.so || { rm -f libchromeXvMC.so && 
ln -s libchromeXvMC.so.1.0.0 libchromeXvMC.so; }; })
/usr/bin/install -c .libs/libchromeXvMC.lai 
/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/libchromeXvMC.la
PATH="$PATH:/sbin" ldconfig -n /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Libraries have been installed in:
   /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib

If you ever happen to want to link against installed libraries
in a given directory, LIBDIR, you must either use libtool, and
specify the full pathname of the library, or use the `-LLIBDIR'
flag during linking and do at least one of the following:
   - add LIBDIR to the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH' environment variable
     during execution
   - add LIBDIR to the `LD_RUN_PATH' environment variable
     during linking
   - use the `-Wl,--rpath -Wl,LIBDIR' linker flag
   - have your system administrator add LIBDIR to `/etc/ld.so.conf'

See any operating system documentation about shared libraries for
more information, such as the ld(1) and ld.so(8) manual pages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 /bin/sh ../libtool --mode=install /usr/bin/install -c  
'libchromeXvMCPro.la' 
'/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/libchromeXvMCPro.la'
/usr/bin/install -c .libs/libchromeXvMCPro.so.1.0.0 
/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/libchromeXvMCPro.so.1.0.0
(cd /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib && { ln -s -f 
libchromeXvMCPro.so.1.0.0 libchromeXvMCPro.so.1 || { rm -f 
libchromeXvMCPro.so.1 && ln -s libchromeXvMCPro.so.1.0.0 
libchromeXvMCPro.so.1; }; })
(cd /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib && { ln -s -f 
libchromeXvMCPro.so.1.0.0 libchromeXvMCPro.so || { rm -f 
libchromeXvMCPro.so && ln -s libchromeXvMCPro.so.1.0.0 
libchromeXvMCPro.so; }; })
/usr/bin/install -c .libs/libchromeXvMCPro.lai 
/usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib/libchromeXvMCPro.la
PATH="$PATH:/sbin" ldconfig -n /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Libraries have been installed in:
   /usr/stow/openchrome-trunk-20071030/lib

If you ever happen to want to link against installed libraries
in a given directory, LIBDIR, you must either use libtool, and
specify the full pathname of the library, or use the `-LLIBDIR'
flag during linking and do at least one of the following:
   - add LIBDIR to the `LD_LIBRARY_PATH' environment variable
     during execution
   - add LIBDIR to the `LD_RUN_PATH' environment variable
     during linking
   - use the `-Wl,--rpath -Wl,LIBDIR' linker flag
   - have your system administrator add LIBDIR to `/etc/ld.so.conf'

See any operating system documentation about shared libraries for
more information, such as the ld(1) and ld.so(8) manual pages.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/libxvmc'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk/libxvmc'
make[1]: Entering directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk'
make[2]: Entering directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk'
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-exec-am'.
make[2]: Nothing to be done for `install-data-am'.
make[2]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk'
make[1]: Leaving directory `/home/gaurish/openchrome/trunk'
gaurish@Digital-Den:~/openchrome/trunk$ cd /usr/stow
gaurish@Digital-Den:/usr/stow$ sudo stow openchrome-trunk-$BUILD_DATE

runny Debian lenny

[praka123]

ur using stow OK.it will be installed.edit ur xorg.conf accordingly as give in openchrome website.

[gary4gar]

Originally Posted by praka123

ur using stow OK.it will be installed.edit ur xorg.conf accordingly as give in openchrome website.

what to change in xorg.conf??
i tried website's wiki but no help

[praka123]

^ few options in device section.i will search and post.wait..
@gary:did u used svn method? lately openchrome got releases
http://openchrome.org/releases/

xf86-video-openchrome-0.3.0

This is the first official openchrome driver release.
(http://www.openchrome.org)

SUPPORTED CHIPSETS :
--------------------
- CLE266 (VT3122)
- KM400/P4M800 (VT3205)
- K8M800 (VT3204)
- PM800/PM880/CN400 (VT3259)
- VM800/CN700/P4M800Pro (VT3314)
- CX700 (VT3324)
- P4M890 (VT3327)
- K8M890 (VT3336)
- P4M900/VN896 (VT3364)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^does ur mobo chipset comes in between?then ur lucky
It seems without any options,u can use with latest openchrome.
also see:
http://www.openchrome.org/openchrome.4.html
If u have installed by compiling and installing and uses stow,no problem the codes are latest.