Mailinglist Archive: opensuse (3653 mails)

[Alexandr Malusek <Alexandr.Malusek@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Digger Maus <diggermaus@xxxxxxxxx> writes:

> Checking "dmesg" tells me that the driver "3c59x.c"
> from Donald Becker is of version v0.99Q from
> 5/16/2000.
>
> After downloading the source RPM from Donald's web
> site, and checking the source code of the latest
> drivers, I found that it is v0.99V from 1/28/2002.
> This is more than 18 months and 5 versions (assuming
> he counted in single steps from 'Q' to 'V') awa!!.
> 
> Why is SuSE using such outdated drivers to compile
> their kernel??? Is there a reason or did SuSE simply
> forget to check?
> SuSE 7.3 is out less than a year!

Donald Becker is known for not submitting his latest drivers to the
official linux kernels. I know he was criticized for it but he has an
explanation which can be found somewhere.

In your case, I guess, SuSE used the driver contained in the
"official" linux kernel.

> Could someone with SuSE8 and a 3Com network card and
> the same driver please check his 'dmesg' if they at
> least used the latest drivers there.

The 3c59x.c in linux-2.4.18.SuSE is:

#define DRV_NAME        "3c59x"
#define DRV_VERSION     "LK1.1.16"
#define DRV_RELDATE     "19 July 2001"

--
Alexandr.Malusek@xxxxxxxxxx