The Linux Driver Model

[tlu]

There is a new interesting article by Dan Kohn (https://www.linuxfoundation.org/en/Linux_Device_Driver_Model) which compares the Windows and Linux device driver models and provides some good background info.

[Pedro]

Nice catch tlu.
For anyone dismissing this, i would suggest reading it.
-{ Quote: "Counterintuitive though it might be from a proprietary viewpoint, this lack of internal kernel interface stability is preferable because both the kernel code and all of the drivers relying on it are open source. In fact, driver code is an integral part of the Linux operating system, not a second-class add-on. Once a driver is accepted into the mainline kernel, it will be maintained over time as internal kernel interfaces change. That is, when a subsystem maintainer accepts a patch to make an incompatible change to a kernel interface, that patch will simultaneously upgrade every driver that relies on the interface. And, new drivers and any upgrades to them automatically flow downstream from the mainline kernel to all Linux distributions.
(...)
In Linux, hardware support only gets better; it never gets worse." }-
Note, there's much more than this simple quote. It's not too long, and it's all interesting.

[Arup]

The only problem that I see is that over the years the kernel footprint has been steadily increasing due to all the drivers around but still, a far superior approach to Windows.

[Pedro]

I don't think that's possible. It won't load all drivers.
If it is slower, it will be due to added functionality.
But then again, i reduce myself to my insignificance ;D

[Nick Rhodes]

As good as the driver model is for linux, you do suffer distro specific issues, eg Ubuntu 8.04 Vs Asus EEE.
You can also get conflicts just as easily as windows (different types of wireless drivers is a good example). Another example is competing sound APIs.

I think this is the only advantage windows actually has over Linux, is the more unified interfaces with the OS.