Hi, Thank you for the nicer reply:
On Mon, Sep 15, 2003 at 10:20:09AM +0200, Eduard Bloch wrote: > > |After a module fails initialization, the suggestion should be made that > |the user install the isa-pnp module if the hardware in question is an > |ISA-PnP card. > | > |"The module failed initialization. Check the hardware resources (I/O, > |IRQ) and if the card is a ISA PnP card, ensure that you have installed > |the isa-pnp module first." > > And I have just told you that loading isa-pnp is not enough. You're right, the process is not as simple as I made it look. I wrote that in the early morning after a long tiresome installation for a user. > The only practicable think I can imagine is extending this message to > a micro-Howto about how to use isapnptools or the isa-pnp's proc > interface. Both things that user can learn from RTFM before going to > install. Yeah, but how often does the user really RTFM? Unfortunately many users rely on previous experience and intuition to guide them; if we really want the installer to be useful to the most people, we can give the hints to help the non-RTFM people along as long as we don't get in the way of the people who do RTFM. > Another idea may be silent loading of isa-pnp when available and > including the list of the devices in the message, suggesting how to > continue. This seems logical; at least, is there any case in which you would _not_ want isa-pnp loaded on i386? > > My contention is that without isa-pnp loaded, the user could not use > > modules that do not support ISA-PnP configuration themselves when the > > card is not in a configured state. In the case of a new user, they see > > isa-pnp does not configure them when the module is just loaded. Right. It is a starting point, from there the user can google and find the kernel documentation for it. > > only a failure when inserting the module for their hardware which is > > clearly installed in the system, and have no idea where to proceed. > > The general hint is _okay_ but the advisory to load isa-pnp is not okay > in the suggested form, and will confuse the user more to the end. Yes, I agree, sorry for confusion: > > > Just for the case that you missed it, we do already include > > > isapnptools for pre-2.4 kernels. And pnpdump&isapnp are a way more > > > user-friendly and better documented than the proc interface. > > > > The user was installing from bf2.4. Is isapnptools included in that > > case? If so, then this "wishlist" bug is in error and you may ignore > > It is not included. For the simple reason, I could not find a driver for > any _essential (for installation)_ ISA PnP card that is not supported by > isapnp manegement in 2.4.18. eepro is the card that caused the problem. There must be others, eepro is not exactly an uncommon card to find. Examining the eepro source, I find no code that configures the PNP component. Please correct me if necessary. > > it. If it is not, then I stand by my statement that there must be a > > documented way for the user to configure the ISA-PnP cards, or there is > > a good chance of significant confusion occurring during an installation. > > I am not the only modconf maintainer but I won't do much more on that > because of the reasons described above and because I think that there is > enough documentation around. But patches are welcome, there are surely > ways to improve the failure message. Fine, I'll look further into it before bothering the maintainers about it more. Thanks, -- Ryan Underwood, <nemesis at icequake.net>, icq=10317253 -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
