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."

Comments

Huge boost for me

[NanoGator]

One of the reasons I *don't* want to switch to Linux is that I don't want to deal with driver installs with stuff that came out later than whatever flavor of Linux I have. If they could automate this, boy would I be strongly interested in attempting the switch again. Frankly, any steps the community takes to minimize the actual maintenance aspect of Linux would be greatly appreciated. Surprisingly, not all of us want to sit there and tweak the damn thing.

Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt

[n1ywb]

Bahahah! Kill opensource drivers! right!

Anytime you come with a new and potentially revolutionary idea, you are going to run into old stick-in-the-muds who will try to bury you in a flood of FUD. FUCK THEM! If you think it's a good idea, GO FOR IT. PROVE that it works, then let the community sort it out.

Re:You should ask yourself...

[n1ywb]

Security and ease-of-configuration are NOT mutually exclusive. In fact, the simpler the configuration is, the less likely it is for a user to make a configuration mistake that will lead to a security hole.

yes, do it.

[Miriku chan]

expect a million people saying "dont do it, it's the end of the world as we know it"

if you write it and it works it'll be an amazing feature that will make the world a better place

if you write it and it doesnt work, no one will use it and no worries. it'll be a learning experience

everyone else has an agenda up their butt =)

cooool

[drfrog]

one of the things that always bothers me is the amount of programming knowledge i have to have if a driver doesnt autodetect and autoload

i dont want to nessecarily start debugging drivers under linux or having to compile them
thats for developers of the drivers.. not the users of the drivers

so a thumbs up to your vision

Sounds like a fantastic idea

[FattMattP]

This sounds like a great idea. The majority of computer users want stuff to just work. Being able to plug something in and then tell the system to get and install the driver for your new hardware automatically is something I've always wanted.

there has been some strong negative feedback, including comments such as that it will kill open source drivers in Linux

You don't address any of these objections on your web page, at least that I could tell. It's hard to comment on this one since I can't see the original objection nor your response.

a system which employs digital signatures could never be secure enough to stop worms

I don't see how this system is much different than using apt-get under debian. People trust Debian's repository and its mirrors to install software all the time. It's not that much more of a stretch to trust a system like that to install drivers. Before you draw a distinction between drivers and packages, keep in mind that the install process in both instances is going to require root. If something nefarious is going to be installed it could happen via either process.

Network Card Drivers.

[et289807]

What happens when "Driver On Demand" trys to get a driver for my network card, but it can't, since my network card needs a driver? :-P

Intel Drivers

[Oriumpor]

The centrino wifi drivers I have agonized over for the past two months. I am so frustrated with the overall driver config that I'm about to throw my laptop out a window.

I am tired of having to recompile my kernel because some function isn't enabled by default (hotplug in this case.) Frustration with the 2.4.25/6 kernel forced me to dig around looking at the 2.6 kernel. Then finding out that the (2.6.6) kernel version has a problem with my laptop in atkbd so whenever I press a certain key I get a kernel error, oh but now modprobe ipw2100 works as long as I make sure I compile the driver in legacy firmware mode bypassing hotplug. Not to mention the fact that there are little inconsistencies in procedure between kernels and packages. Not that this is the kernel developers fault, but having to enable PCMCIA support in the 2.6 to get HOSTAP to compile and having to disable it in 2.4 is something that the joe-blow consumer isn't even going to comprehend, let alone know how to do via config/menuconfig etc.

Automatic driver installation would be a headache to secure, but the need is surely there. My headaches are those of someone who's had to do this before... I can only imagine the headaches of someone un-initiated.