New kernel driver for the BCM5974 touchpad (Macbook Air, Penryn)

[Tim Gardner]

Henrik Rydberg wrote:
> Hello kernel team,
> 
> The new Apple computers Macbook Air and Macbook Pro Penryn, as well as
> the IPhone and IPod Touch, use a multitouch chip known as BCM5974, for
> which there is currently no support in the linux world. I recently wrote
> a kernel driver for the USB interface present in those computers; the
> driver is currently being discussed here
> http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=840040.
> 
> My obvious question is of course how to best incorporate this driver
> into the Hardy kernel. The driver has been submitted to kernel.org, but
> it might take some time before it gets accepted, and even longer before
> making its way into Ibex. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
> 
> Best Regards,
> Henrik Rydberg
> 
> 
> 

This driver may eventually be a candidate for Hardy
linux-backports-modules since it replaces an existing driver, and LBM is
an elective install. Are you going to be able to get it submitted during
the 2.6.27 merge window? Another option is to package your driver using DKMS

http://linux.dell.com/projects.shtml#dkms

I would just as soon wait until your driver has matured a bit before
including it in Hardy LBM. So far, the forum thread you've mentioned
only has one user, and he wasn't particularly successful in getting the
driver to work.

rtg
-- 
Tim Gardner tim.gardner at ubuntu.com