O.k. I just looked at how the linux kernel is using acpi, in acpitable.c and reskimmed the acpi spec to see what I was missing.
The Linux kernel isn't using true acpi at that point. All it has is code for the mptables, and it finds the mptable (or a minor variation of thereof via acpi). But acpi as a side issue does provide a good way to find other tables which is handy. It looks like it may also provide hooks to point at the more interesting dmi tables. The stuff isn't strictly acpi but it is very useful. Eric
