netdev - Re: [PATCH v2] net: e100: ucode is optional in some cases

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Date:	Thu, 19 Jul 2012 10:50:49 -0700 (PDT)
From:	David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>
To:	bjorn@...k.no
Cc:	netdev@...r.kernel.org, jeffrey.t.kirsher@...el.com,
	jesse.brandeburg@...el.com, bruce.w.allan@...el.com,
	carolyn.wyborny@...el.com, donald.c.skidmore@...el.com,
	gregory.v.rose@...el.com, peter.p.waskiewicz.jr@...el.com,
	alexander.h.duyck@...el.com, john.ronciak@...el.com,
	e1000-devel@...ts.sourceforge.net
Subject: Re: [PATCH v2] net: e100: ucode is optional in some cases

From: Bjørn Mork <bjorn@...k.no>
Date: Thu, 19 Jul 2012 18:28:40 +0200

>   commit 9ac32e1b firmware: convert e100 driver to request_firmware()
> 
> did a straight conversion of the in-driver ucode to external
> files.  This introduced the possibility of the driver failing
> to enable an interface due to missing ucode. There was no
> evaluation of the importance of the ucode at the time.
> 
> Based on comments in earlier versions of this driver, and in
> the source code for the FreeBSD fxp driver, we can assume that
> the ucode implements the "CPU Cycle Saver" feature on supported
> adapters.  Although generally wanted, this is an optional
> feature. The ucode source is not available, preventing it from
> being included in free distributions. This creates unnecessary
> problems for the end users. Doing a network install based on a
> free distribution installer requires the user to download and
> insert the ucode into the installer.
> 
> Making the ucode optional when possible improves the user
> experience and driver usability.
> 
> The ucode for some adapters include a bugfix, making it
> essential.  We continue to fail for these adapters unless the
> ucode is available.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Bjørn Mork <bjorn@...k.no>
> ---
> v2: removed URLs from the patch, converting them to generic
>     descriptions of the sources of information

Applied.
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