[nflug] driver question

[anthonyriga]

Thanks guys for explaining. I work in IT for a windows
only shop engineering co that uses mostly autodesk
(acad) microstation. Autodesk is married to
Microshaft. Its really hard to get a one track minded
windows IT staff (that defends windows) have any idea
when they dont give Linux the chance. I tell most
windows people who wanna debate the Linux Windows to
really learn how to use Linux then they will see the
differences then talk to me. Till then dont waste my
time debating!  In reality isnt up to the IT dept to
keep up with new technical stuff and learn it and find
out whats better or cost savings. I dont mean gadget
geeks who just play with Laptops,tablets, GPS PDA
Oragamis and are great with Windows short cuts on the
keyboard. That dosent make true IT person in my
opinion. MOst IT people should be or try to be mutli
OS exposed. I mean really getting into the OS stuff.
Then we can debate! 
 
 Sorry to rant but just frustrated trying to make
points to people who dont understand at work... 


--- "David J. Andruczyk" <djandruczyk at yahoo.com>
wrote:

> 
> I can explain that.  For the majority of device
> drivers (And a lot of
> kernel functionality as well) can be compiled INTO
> the kernel, or built
> as modules to be loaded and unloaded on demand.  If
> it's built in on
> bootup when the kernel loads those drivers will
> attempt to locate and
> initialize the hardware they support.  If they are
> modular, then the
> distribution usually has a program or script in
> place to scan the
> system for changes and losd necessary modules.  This
> is distribution
> specific. (though some distros use the same method
> as others).   Redhat
> uses kudzu,  gentoo can do it several ways (hotplug,
> coldplug, manual),
> knoppix seems to have a script to do it.  Most
> modern distros use
> hotplug and an extra tool, usually a script (similar
> to kudzu) to
> enumerate the system's busses (PCI, AGP, USB,
> IEE1394) and load the
> needed modules.  In some cases the modules may need
> to be or wanted to
> be loaded manually.
> 
> Modules have the advantage of reducing kernel size
> and memory usage,
> and allow functionality to be added and removed from
> the kernel during
> runtime (loading and unloading modules)
> 
> Ironically, linux tends to have better hardware
> support OUT OF THE BOX 
> compared to windows, but still has quite a ways to
> go.  It's that some
> newer devices don't yet have linux drivers available
> due to the
> closed-mindedness of companies developing and
> selling the hardware
> (make it open and people will BUY it) This is most
> prevalent with
> wireless lan cards having the spottiest coverage
> driver wise.
>  
> 
> --- joshj at linuxmail.org wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Thus spake anthonyriga on Wed, 22 Mar 2006
> > 
> > > How does linux load drivers on pcs for example
> the
> > > sound drivers and reconizes them automatically
> and XP
> > > Windows does not load the drivers at all causing
> the
> > > user to find them. Are the drivers loaded in the
> linux
> > > kernel? Im trying to explain this to a windows
> guy. He
> > > says that since the soundcard was new on a new
> pc it
> > > wouldnt be on the cd. I tested the pc using
> Knoppix
> > > 3.8 CD and it picked up the souncard fine using
> AC97
> > > realtek driver. He is pure wondows fanboy. Any
> good
> > > explanations?
> > 
> > This is a good one. I'd like to know the answer to
> this. I take it
> > for
> > granted now that when I need to find out if
> something works I just
> > pop
> > in Knoppix or SysRescCD. I think it is part of the
> startup scripts.
> > Because on my Gentoo box I have to make sure that
> all modules are
> > explicitly loaded if I want something to work. eg
> soundcard. It
> > probably
> > checks /proc/pci or runs an lspci and compares the
> output against a
> > DB
> > file of somekind for known drivers. I'm not 100%
> sure though. Just
> > kind
> > of guessing.
> > 
> > -Josh
> > 
> > >
> > >
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> 
> 
> Dave J. Andruczyk
> 
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