LinuxTag 2009: Better Bad Drivers than None
In the conference's traditional "Kernel Kwestioning" seminar this year in Berlin, 11 kernel developers addressed questions from the public. The result was that the panel of experts invited the entire community to send Linux drivers to the kernel mailing list, quality notwithstanding.
The topic turned to drivers when one panelist mentioned that defective drivers were making their way to kernel staging, where code may linger unintegrated. This announcement prompted Hans-Jürgen Koch from Linuxtronix to remember Greg Kroah-Hartman's invitation from a few years back: as many Linux drivers as possible should end up in the mainline kernel.
Koch underlined his statement with, "Every code in the mainline kernel is better than code wasting away on someone's hard drive. It's good that we have staging,... There are so many drivers for hardware found only in some embedded devices." He appealed to all those attending: "Bring your drivers to the mainline kernel!" Even a questionable driver can, under circumstances, serve as the basis for further development.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.

News
-
Arch Linux Available for Windows Subsystem for Linux
If you've ever wanted to use a rolling release distribution with WSL, now's your chance.
-
System76 Releases COSMIC Alpha 7
With scores of bug fixes and a really cool workspaces feature, COSMIC is looking to soon migrate from alpha to beta.
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.