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Novell Delivers Device Driver Breakthrough

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the hopefully-the-companies-will-actually-start-writing-them dept.

An anonymous reader writes "Novell today announced a new Linux device driver process to make it easier for third party device driver writers to integrate their drivers with SUSE Linux." From the article: "The new driver process allows customers to obtain drivers independently of Novell® kernel updates and supplies a straightforward approach third parties can use when developing device drivers for Novell's SUSE® Linux Enterprise products. The new Linux driver process developed by Novell allows hardware and software vendors to provide Linux drivers and driver updates for their products to customers directly and transparently, in a way that is completely integrated with SUSE Linux Enterprise delivery and support."

7 of 241 comments (clear)

  1. No need for Suse Linux by bizzynut · · Score: 5, Funny

    Plan 9 offers everything you would expect from a modern desktop OS. So there is no need for Suse Linux.

  2. When my copy of Windows fails... by Osrin · · Score: 5, Insightful

    ... it is generally the result of a badly written 3rd party device driver, and the inability of the OS to protect itself from that driver. Have Novell delivered a major breakthrough here (as the article suggests) or the beginnings of a major headache?

    I know there will be replies about how the architechure of Linux protects us from some of the risk, but in reality 3rd parties will circumvent any device driver model in an effort to make their device perform optmally, even at the expense of the wider platform.

  3. oups! by McGiraf · · Score: 5, Informative

    http://developer.novell.com/wiki/index.php/FAQ_for _the_Partner_Linux_Driver_Process

  4. Something is breaking, that's for sure by Wesley+Felter · · Score: 5, Informative

    This "breakthrough" requires device vendors to recompile (and possibly port) their driver for every distro, every time that distro updates their kernel ABI. The only thing that has really changed seems to be that Novell will keep track of when the kernel ABI changes and notify driver developers.

  5. Re:Marketing blurb by McGiraf · · Score: 5, Informative

    No even an asbstation layer, they are just syncronising driver updates and kernel updates.

  6. ok... by reynaert · · Score: 5, Interesting

    This is only going to work if you're using SuSE. And if you don't compile your own kernel. It only gives vendors an excuse to call their shitty binary-only drivers "Linux support". I'd call this thing a Linux driver setback.

  7. a new Linux device driver process by special_agent · · Score: 5, Funny
    a new Linux device driver process

    Sounds more like a new marketing process.

    --
    "I now inform you that you are too far from reality."