Thomas, Thanks for the note. Please read the messages on linux-acpi with "dmi" in the subject for some background.
yes, OSI(Linux) was enabled by default through 2.6.22 and was disabled by default starting in 2.6.23. The reason it has come up recently is because it got into a reference BIOS -- and I'm sorry to admit that I was a party to that -- I wasn't thinking. Tomas Carnecky's reply is 100% correct. We can't support OSI(Linux) any more than we could support _OS="Linux", or Microsoft could support OSI(Windows) -- particularly on an OS that changes as fast as Linux does. To do so would in some cases put Linux at a permanent disadvantage to competing operating systems. Yes, we are attempting to close Pandora's box. I think we'll be successful, though we have to handle the Dell and Lenovo systems which actually use OSI(Linux) on purpose. Everybody else appears to be using it by mistake, sometimes with no effect, sometimes with negative effect. No, the DMI list is not large, it is mostly comments and it is __init. I _strongly_ urge you to not fork from the .stable and mainline kernel in this area. OEMs that really want to modify the BIOS to recognize OS interfaces that are in Linux should propose new OSI strings that specify interfaces, not broad categories of operating sytems; and in Linux we shoudl use, or not use, those strings, as appropriate. I've recently been in discussion with OEMs on exactly this topic -- I'm sorry it didn't happen a year ago. thanks, -Len - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-acpi" in the body of a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
