Click to See Complete Forum and Search --> : Why there's a hardware compatibility list per distro?
Wallex
08-30-2002, 09:47 AM
This is something I can't understand.. I've read around that you have to check if your hardware is supported by your particular distro. You mean that there are distros that support some hardware others don't? How can this be? Shouldn't these stuff be sort of like 'open source' so that when one new piece of hardware gets supported, all distros automatically add support to it? Or all distros have to independently develop support for hardware? I am not sure how this work.. but if each distro works on their own trying to get hardware supported, that really is gonna slow down the overall progress of distros... why spend time trying to get hardware supported that is already supported by someone else? If it's open source.. shouldn't each distro develop support for some or another hardware, and then unite all the 'new supported hardware' so that all distros have it? Maybe I am missing something here... how does this works?
z0mbix
08-30-2002, 09:49 AM
It's the linux kernel that supports the hardware, not the distro.
bwkaz
08-30-2002, 01:53 PM
Originally posted by cheeky_zombie
It's the linux kernel that supports the hardware, not the distro. Right, but most distros patch the kernel with other drivers, and even if they didn't, there are issues with kernel versions. There's new hardware support just about every version of the kernel, so if you're running IDE controller Foo, and it isn't supported by kernel 2.4.16 (which Your Distro Version n uses by default), but is supported by 2.4.18 (which is used by Your Distro Version n+1, but by My Distro Version n), then there are obviously problems with only having one list.
The distros don't all work on their own on support (here I'm talking about their patches, not the official kernel tree), but they don't have to use each others' work, either.
Its not distro specific. It the Linux kernel that determines whether your hardware works, like cheeky_zombie said.
Wallex
08-30-2002, 09:30 PM
Oh, I see. I find it interesting how distros 'patch' the kernels as they see fit.. maybe it would be better if there was an organization in charge of this, if distros keep 'patching' the kernel, it's no wonder it isn't easy to have two distros in the same partition.
AK_Dude
08-30-2002, 09:42 PM
maybe it would be better if there was an organization in charge of this
Ughhhhhh.....you want to turn Linux into Window$? If you centralize the development, then you end up with the problems that many of us went to Linux to solve: dependence upon one source for new development, single source of bug fixes, tied to a single upgrade path, etc.
While the way it works right now makes things a little more confusing ("well, my device driver worked on gurulinux 12.3, so why doesn't it work on superfire linux 13.7???"), what you get in return is the ability to choose what services, features, options, etc. you need. Then, if you need any other modules, you can compile them into your kernel or use insmod or whatever. That's part of the beauty of open source!
Even if a device driver isn't included with your particular flavor of Linux, there's a good chance you can find it on the web, and include it in your installation. With Windows, if Micro$oft didn't include it, and the hardware manufacture hasn't bothered to create a driver for your hardware, you're usually out of luck. No thanks--I prefer Linux as it is!
fancypiper
08-30-2002, 09:57 PM
You can also download several flavors of the Linux kernel versions, both stable (2.4.19) and unstable (a large kernel version number than stable) and "roll your own" kernel if your distro version doesn't include support. That's assuming a later kernel attempts to support that particular hardware).
The kernel hardware support page would be the ultimate place to look if your current kernel doesn't have support you need.
Another thing about the different HCLs is that if a Linux distributor is going to certify that X piece of hardware works with their particular package, they have to take the time to actually test that hardware.
After all, if, as a distributor, the kernel developers lobbed a brand new kernel version in your direction and said "yeah, this version now supports x,y,and z", would it be a wise business decision on your part to take that as gospel? Methinks not.
;)