Re: [PATCH] PCI serial card support

[Robert Millan]

On Tue, Nov 04, 2008 at 10:24:38AM -0800, Dugger, Donald D wrote:
> You can create an internal table that maps PCI ID to base baud[1]

I'd prefer that a lot.  Users don't necessarily have an idea on what
magic value they need.

> but now you are tied to the PCI subsystem and you get into issues of no 
> output until after PCI enumeration is done

At least with our current design, you can't get to serial output untill
GRUB has been completely brought up, so there's no early point in which
we'd be missing it.

> what happens if you have 2 different PCI cards installed,

Then serial.mod can handle multiple terminals (it already does, just not for
PCI cards) via `serial' command, and use the PCI calls to gather info about
them whenever they're to be used.

> what happens if you find a serial card that isn't on the list,

Does this issue happen with all serial cards, or just some?  If it happens
with all, I guess it could just issue an error and let the user know that
we need feedback on how to add this one?

> what about Express cards, etc.

What do you mean?

-- 
Robert Millan

  The DRM opt-in fallacy: "Your data belongs to us. We will decide when (and
  how) you may access your data; but nobody's threatening your freedom: we
  still allow you to remove your data and not access it at all."