Linux users want two things for their hardware: drivers; and easy access to those drivers. The first is finally happening; and now, thanks to a Dell Linux project called DKMS (Dynamic Kernel Module Support), the other is on its way. Dell and Linux distributors have been working on DKMS for about five years now. Its purpose is to create a framework where kernel-dependent module source can reside, so that it is very easy to rebuild modules. In turn, this enables Linux distributors and driver developers to create driver drops without having to wait for new kernel releases. For users, all this makes it easier to get up-to-the-minute drivers without hand compiling device drivers.
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Member since:2006-06-21
I don't see why you can't do that ("implement new drivers without the need to recompile the whole kernel") with the current kernel development model. Oh, well, I do see some reasons, if you're a corporation going only after money. 
See, what happens is that hardware vendors would like to be able to circumvent the kernel development team. They're waking up to the smell of Linux starting to make sense as a consumer platform, but they don't like the open source and free software any more than they ever did. They'd love a method of being able to put their binary blobs in there.
Normally, you'd give the code to the Linux source base, perhaps sponsor a dev to maintain it or have your own guy do it. Maximum compatibility and quality. The benefits of open source.
But we can't have that, can we? Us corporations gotta have our corporate secrets and binary blobs. So here's the modus operandi:
1. Target a couple of "commercial" distro's.
2. Cut the Linux devs out of the loop.
3. Profit.
They can't possibly match the vanilla stuff for quality and compatibility with every new release. So in turn they'll just release for specific distro's and that's all, folks. As a bonus, we're going to see the kind of driver madness and screw-ups we see on Windows, driver and vendor lock-in, sacrificing quality for backward compatibility and all those nice things that the Windows platform has accustomed us to.
The question now is, which Linux distro's will whore out for money. SuSE is a no-brainer. I'm curious about Ubuntu.
Edited 2007-09-23 22:32
Member since:2006-01-14
Some of you dont seem to get it. This package has a lot of uses besides the proprietary uses. DKMS allows for on the fly drivers to be loaded into the kernel on boot. Normally every time you update to a new kernel, you have to go through and manually compile all the extra crap you installed to work with it. Vmware, Nvidia drivers, user space drivers. With DKMS, you get a new DKMS package with the new kernel and you are good to go. Well, except with vmware which isnt using this system yet, (but they did open source their tools, so maybe soon).
As for companies not liking linux, thats BS. MOST companies that create hardware are writing the drivers on either linux or BSD. Why? Because you can delve right down into the kernel to see whats going on. You cant do that with Windows. This is one reason why Linux actually has pretty decent hardware support.
Member since:2006-02-12
The bottom line is that I think you've completely misunderstood the idea behind this. Yes they do want to circumvent the whole Linus approved process but more importantly a framework would allow for an easier and faster development and could eventually attract a lot more companies to linux support. Right now it is quite expensive for a company to create a linux driver for it's hardware because linux driver developers are not that easy to come by and they are also quite expensive compared to windows ones. Considering the small market share of linux it is no-brainer than Dell would be pushing for some changes. Oh and Novell has absolutely nothing to do with this initiative. I don't know why you'd think otherwise ... they sell software not hardware.
Member since:
2005-07-06
DKMS is a framework that enables a vendor to quickly implement new drivers without the need to recompile the whole kernel. Thus more userfriendly and for the vendor ( in this case Dell) a more efficient way of giving service and support.