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Offline bloodlineTopic starter

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Unified Driver Interface
« on: December 10, 2003, 04:10:30 PM »
Following on from the SkyOS thread, I was wondering what thoughts people have on a Unified Driver interface.

Something that would allow all the small OS projects to share drivers and increase their usefullenss.

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #1 on: December 10, 2003, 04:54:11 PM »
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dammy wrote:
How about that M$ driver wrapper for Linux?  Could that be ported over?

Dammy


A lot of the AROS devs have said that it would be perfectly possible to use Linux drivers in AROS... but have never really gone into much detail about it.

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #2 on: December 10, 2003, 09:35:30 PM »
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xisp wrote:
You mean this?


Yup, that has been suggested, but I notice that there don't seem to be many drivers for it, and that SCO are involved... two downers... But I think someone more qualified than me should look at it :-D

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #3 on: December 10, 2003, 09:47:34 PM »
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KennyR wrote:
If you're trying to copy the Windows driver system, don't, because it's one of the worst inventions in computing history. Amiga is amiga because we don't have anything like this, and never should have.


No, I just think there needs to be a standard driver interface. This would mean the all the OS projects that are out there AROS, SkyOS, AtheOS, ReactOS, NewOS, OBeOS etc.. etc.. etc... can all use the same driver.

Imagine that! If someone writes a Nvidia Graphics driver for AtheOS (for example), then any of the other OS projects could use it without the need to port it, just download it and install it.

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #4 on: December 10, 2003, 11:27:18 PM »
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Karlos wrote:
Youd need a well defined heirarchy for such a system. Devices by their very nature suit OOP design very well.

I wouldn't hold your breath though :-(


Well all modern OS projects support OOP... come on I know you have some good ideas :-)

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #5 on: December 11, 2003, 02:45:03 PM »
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Martyn wrote:
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...but I notice that there don't seem to be many drivers for it [UDI]


So then you've got a choice....

1. Write all your own drivers for AROS
2. Write all your own drivers for AROS using UDI, where they be usable to any other OS that supports UDI.

Hey!  Then if there's some useful drivers other OSs might use UDI!
Hey!  Then they might write their own drivers that AROS will be able to use!

Geddit?


Doh! Yes of course :-)

I woudl be nice if someone could do a feasabilitry study on this. Sicne it looks like quite a task. But if we were able to put down a good solid profile/plan, then wer could present it to the other OS projects and get them involved.  :-)

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #6 on: December 11, 2003, 04:29:21 PM »
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Martyn wrote:
That's the spirit!!

If I had the time (and some lower-level coding ability) I'd join in with you!


I'd Vote for Karlos to do it :lol:

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Re: Unified Driver Interface
« Reply #7 on: March 03, 2004, 11:05:25 AM »
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Crumb wrote:
"A lot of the AROS devs have said that it would be perfectly possible to use Linux drivers in AROS... but have never really gone into much detail about it."

Well, that would be one of the most interesting things you could do... even if the windows system of drivers is horrible the possibility of using them would be great...


Latest update is that, there is now talk of using *BSD drivers... Which as I understand it would be quite easy... we shall see.