Talk Details

A Modern Linux Device Driver

Name Alan Cox

Organisation

Website http://zenii.linux.org.uk/diary/

Scope Technical

Topic Linux

Type talk

Abstract An introduction to the frameworks the kernel provides for PCI/PCI-X device drivers. Using some simple real world examples this talk will look at how a driver registers for devices, the basic interfaces it can use to control hardware, and some of the frameworks such as serial ATA and networking which exist to make device driver programming simple.

Pre-requisites Some understanding of device drivers, PCI and hardware may be useful. This understanding need not be Linux related.

Profile Alan Cox is heavily involved in the development of the Linux kernel. He maintained an old branch (2.2.x), and his own versions of the previous stable branch (2.4.x) (signified by an "ac" in the version, for example 2.4.3-ac1). He was commonly regarded as being the "second in command" after Linus Torvalds himself, although this has changed over time.

Cox is employed by Red Hat and lives in Swansea, Wales. He is an ardent supporter of programming freedom, and an outspoken opponent of software patents, the DMCA and the CBDTPA.