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Thoughts on Automating Driver Installs for Linux?
Auzy asks: "Originally I thought that the implementation of a system in Linux which could automatically locate and install drivers would revolutionize Linux usability, however, there has been some strong negative feedback, including comments such as that it will kill open source drivers in Linux, and that even a system which employs digital signatures could never be secure enough to stop worms. I believe the opposite, and now I want to know from the Slashdot crowd, if they think I should drop the project now and potentially save Linux from possible security problems, or if I am right in saying that potential problems can be avoided, and that this system can become successful."
Ok, let's take a look at the practical side of this.
I pop in a new card. If my distro kernel (and this is mostly aimed at people using distro kernels) supports it the driver is already there it just may take some config, i.e. sound cards and the like.
Otherwise I need a new kernel. Debian's woody release defaults to a 2.2 kernel but has the option of 2.4. Many newbies install the 2.2 and then have non-supported hardware. A project like this won't help them.
The real problem here is the Linux kernel changes often enough and the hardware supported changes often enough that you need to go and grab the latest code to use the latest stuff.
This works on Windows and OS X because the kernel is know and has not changed recently. Every WinXP user has the same kernel and driver needs.
All I see this project helping with are the people with closed source drivers which the user's distro may not have shipped. But even then, only if the kernel versions match -- and they usually don't.
*OR* I see it being a boon to someone like Lindows (aka Linsprire). They could run this server and guarantee that drivers exist for new hardware when users run the Lindows kernel.
Yeah, I imagine in laptops this is still a painful experience. Hell they don't even work with windows versions they weren't shipped with half the time.
For instance we just had a customer with a toshiba laptop we sold him last year. It shipped with XP but he wanted 2000 (per his corporate requirements) so we loaded it and all worked for a year. And then recently they did a windows update and bam, thing won't boot in normal or safe. Repair install does no good (and neither did 2 days of everything else). Reloading the OS clean and then updating produces the same result.
Using windows without updates, not an option, for anyone really. So he bought a new computer for the office and is using the laptop with XP at home now.
On the desktop it's different. Generally the drivers can be had if not supported right out of the box. But still with windows the drivers can be had, period. With linux you won't need to look for any drivers at all 90% of the time, if you do it's 50/50.
With windows you'll need to download (or install from CD/floppy) drivers 100% of the time, but those drivers are findable 100% of the time as well.
Have you consulted with your local lug? One of the most annoying things I've seen has been that linux driver modules often group the past 5yrs of functionally similar hardware under a module named after a 10yr old piece of hardware. Alot of the time the guru's at your local lug will know where the driver you need is hidden.
Despite the fact that you and I have debated on the linux versus windows issue a half dozen times in the past. I'd be happy to work with you to get your laptop up and running if your nearby...