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Linux Supports More Devices Than Any Other OS

Posted by kdawson on from the in-the-tree dept.

Linux Blog recommends an interview up on the O'Reilly site with Greg Kroah-Hartman, long-time Linux kernel hacker and the current Linux kernel maintainer for the USB driver core. He updates the free Linux driver program announced almost two years ago, which has really caught traction now with more than 300 developers volunteering. The interviewer begins by asking about Kroah-Hartman's claim that the Linux kernel now supports more devices than any other operating system ever has. "[One factor is] the ease of writing drivers; Linux drivers are at normally one-third smaller than Windows drivers or other operating system drivers. We have all the examples there, so it's trivial to write a new one if you have new hardware, usually because you can copy the code and go. We maintain them... forever, so the old ones don't disappear and we run on every single processor out there. I mean Linux is 80% of the world's top 500 super computers right now and we're also the number one embedded operating system today. We've got both sides of the market because it's — yeah it's pretty amazing. I don't know why, but we're doing something right."

18 of 272 comments (clear)

  1. God, you're good! by XB-70 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Could you guys write a driver for my limo?

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    *** Don't be dull.***
    1. Re:God, you're good! by von_rick · · Score: 5, Funny
      run

      # lslimo > output.txt

      and post the output.txt file.

      --

      Face your daemons!

    2. Re:God, you're good! by hotdiggitydawg · · Score: 4, Funny

      I could, but no guarantees it wouldn't crash.

    3. Re:God, you're good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      Just as long as the Colonel doesn't panic! Drivers should only be allowed on streets (OK, user mode) and shouldn't be able to crash so that they scare my Colonel.

    4. Re:God, you're good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      output.txt:

      00:00.0 12v Battery
      00:01.0 Chassis
      00:1a.0 Engine
      00:1a.1 Gear box
      00:1a.2 Cam belt
      00:1a.7 Drive shaft
      00:1b.0 Stereo
      00:1c.0 Steering wheel
      00:1c.4 Steering column
      00:1c.5 Horn
      00:1d.0 Driver seat
      00:1d.1 Front passenger seat
      00:1d.2 Hot tub
      00:1d.7 Back passenger seats
      00:1e.0 Wheels
      00:1f.0 Doors

    5. Re:God, you're good! by hdparm · · Score: 5, Funny

      You will obviously have to use manufacturers non-free driver, as they haven't released the spec for a Hot tub device. The latest patch I have in git fills the tub (although there are some overflowing issues with the latest, compact tubs) but doesn't heat the water yet.

    6. Re:God, you're good! by ion.simon.c · · Score: 2, Funny

      What does this have to do with the man's limo driver!?

    7. Re:God, you're good! by SL+Baur · · Score: 3, Funny

      run

      # lslimo > output.txt

      You mean

      # roblimo > output.txt

    8. Re:God, you're good! by ndogg · · Score: 3, Funny

      Well, apparently Natalie Portman submitted a patch for the Hot tub to handle grits.

      --
      // file: mice.h
      #include "frickin_lasers.h"
    9. Re:God, you're good! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

      You forgot Windows. ...oh wait.

  2. Linux is on more devices than any other OS... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    ...and it can't even work properly on X86. OObOOOOnTOO!

    1. Re:Linux is on more devices than any other OS... by TheLink · · Score: 4, Funny

      Keyboard driver problem?

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  3. More devices but... by lxs · · Score: 2, Funny

    My Swedish vibrator still doesn't have Linux drivers

    1. Re:More devices but... by thekm · · Score: 2, Funny

      the best path of success is to find the device that works best with linux at point of purchase. With that in mind, you clearly need one of these vibrators...

  4. Re:No surprise here... by maxume · · Score: 2, Funny

    On the other hand, bastardized English they are.

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    Nerd rage is the funniest rage.
  5. Re:About as original as celebrity baby names by styrotech · · Score: 3, Funny

    You look lost - don't be afraid to ask for directions. I think the patent story is two blocks that way...

  6. Re:No surprise here... by Daengbo · · Score: 4, Funny
    Irony --
    jav1231:

    the guy in #linuxhelp tells me, "Dude, I dunno...mine works!"

    ... srw:

    Hmmm... I've been using the b43 driver since Ubuntu 8.04 came out. It works here.

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    Put identity in the browser.
  7. Re:No surprise here... by CrashandDie · · Score: 1, Funny

    You might want to check what card exactly you have, running both drivers at once is probably... Overkill.