linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] toshiba_acpi: Add /dev/toshiba

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Message-ID: <20150720213631.GA34611@vmdeb7>
Date:	Mon, 20 Jul 2015 14:36:31 -0700
From:	Darren Hart <dvhart@...radead.org>
To:	Azael Avalos <coproscefalo@...il.com>
Cc:	Jonathan Corbet <corbet@....net>,
	Jonathan Buzzard <jonathan@...zard.org.uk>,
	linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	platform-driver-x86@...r.kernel.org, linux-api@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] toshiba_acpi: Add /dev/toshiba_acpi device

On Thu, Jul 16, 2015 at 05:32:44PM -0600, Azael Avalos wrote:
> There were previous attempts to "merge" the toshiba SMM module to the
> toshiba_acpi one, they were trying to imitate what the old toshiba
> module does, however, some models (TOS1900 devices) come with a
> "crippled" implementation and do not provide all the "features" a
> "genuine" Toshiba BIOS does.
> 
> This patch adds a new device called toshiba_acpi, which aim is to
> enable userspace to access the SMM on Toshiba laptops via ACPI calls.
> 
> Creating a new convenience _IOWR command to access the SCI functions
> by opening/closing the SCI internally to avoid buggy BIOS, while at
> the same time providing backwards compatibility.
> 
> Older programs who wish to access the SMM on newer models can do it
> without much code change, as the toshiba.h header was modified to
> reflect these changes as well as adds all the toshiba_acpi paths
> and commands.

To clarify, the newer models didn't work at all previously, so this is not
changing the user:kernel interface, but rather enabling it on newer machines,
and programs wishing to take advantage of that can do so with minimal change.

Correct?

-- 
Darren Hart
Intel Open Source Technology Center
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