Re: Geode GX framebuffer driver: Arcom vs. AMD

[Sam Ravnborg <sam@ravnborg.org>]

On Sat, Jul 14, 2007 at 03:01:56PM -0400, Andrew Paprocki wrote:
> Is there any reason why the GPL framebuffer driver for the GX/GX1/LX
> directly from AMD is not integrated into the kernel and only a custom
> driver for only the GX/GX1 written by Arcom exists?
> (drivers/video/geode/*)
> 
> If you have an LX, the Arcom driver won't work and it is difficult to
> use AMD's patch for 2.6.11 with a more recent kernel because the
> drivers/video/geode directory has filename conflicts with files in the
> patch.
> 
> If there are no issues preventing its inclusion, would updated patches
> be accepted to switch to AMD's framebuffer driver? The AMD patches
> would need to be combined to support all three platforms in the driver
> dir, all sitting on top of the Cimarron HAL installed in lib/cimarron.
> 
> The entire AMD LX patch for 2.6.11 is here:
> http://www.amd.com/files/connectivitysolutions/geode/geode_lx/Patches_Linux2.6.11_Common_02.03.0100.patch

After a very brief look on the relevant part of the patch:
-> Needs to be adapted to CodingStyle all over.
-> The use of AMD specific BUILDNUM etc are not used in-kernel
-> The HAL in lib/cimarron needs to be justified - who are the oter users?
-> There seems to be a _lot_ of specific defines in lib/cimarron - I wonder
   if this is the way used in the rest of the kernel?

But anyway - the patch it not trivially ready for inclusion.

	Sam