On Sun, Mar 31, 2019 at 07:54:28PM +0100, Sudip Mukherjee wrote: > On Fri, Mar 22, 2019 at 01:17:57PM +0800, Yifeng Li wrote: > > +video controllers. This series of video controller is a legacy from ~1998, > > +and was used on many classic, "prehistoric" laptops from 1998-2004, such as > > +IBM Thinkpad S30 and 240X. It was also used on some servers, industrial > > +computers, x86 and non-x86 embedded devices where only basic graphics was > > +needed. > > I think this is wrong. Loongson 3A Notebook was released around 2011-2012 > and had SM712. "This series of video controller is a legacy from ~1998 and was used on many classic, prehistoric laptops from 1998-2004" is an objective fact. Even if they have been used on newer hardware, it doesn't automatically make the original statement false. But I agree that the description gives incomplete information, I think this paragraph should be reworded for clarity. I would change the description to, > "sm712fb" is a graphics framebuffer driver for Silicon Motion SM710 (LynxEM), SM712 (LynxEM+), and SM720 (Lynx3DM, Lynx3DM+, aka. LynxEM4+) series of video controllers. > This series of video controllers is a legacy product from ~1998, they are designed to be primarily used on low-power mobile systems running Windows 95/ 98/NT/2000, some examples are HP OmniBook XE2 (2000), Panasonic TOUGHBook 28 (2002), FLORA 210W NL3 (2003), Sony Vaio VGN-U50 (2004) OQO Model 01 (2004). > After 2004, they continued to be used on some non-x86 systems, including PowerPC and MIPS. It also saw applications on embedded devices, servers, industrial computers, embedded devices, where low-power operation and/or only basic graphics was needed. > Notably, Lemote YeeLoong 8089, a MIPS laptop based on the Chinese Loongson [...] I think it would be enough. BTW, most Loongson 3A notebooks don't use SM712. I don't know that there are Loongson 3A notebooks that are still using SM712 graphics chip, do you have one? Could you tell me its model number? > > +The first feature is planned to be implemented soon, but the maintainer > > +does not receive any monetary or hardware support from any company or OEMs, > > +and he has to purchase a test platform personally. The 1998's hardware > > +still costs 200 USD+, so don't expected an ETA. If you have a Big-Endian > > +platform and willing to help testing, please contact the maintainer, thanks! > > I am not sure why will you want to mention about monetary or hardware > support. Maintainers are supposed to work voluntarily. I agree, I will reword it. > > +Other VGA modes, dual-head, or hardware cursor support should be possible to > > +implement, but parts of the code must be rewritten, and there's little demand > > +for them on this legacy (retro?) platform, so there's no plan to implement them. > > +If you have a genuine need for them, please contact the maintainers. > > If there is any need for new features then I think the plan should be to > make a drm driver. That's the plan. I will reword. > There is a MAINTAINERS file to list the maintainers. There is no need to > add that in documentation. I see. Thanks, Tom Li
