DOCUMENT ID: 1474-02

SYNOPSIS:    Why have drivers been moved from /kernel/drv?

OS RELEASE:  Solaris 2.5 x86

PRODUCT:     OS

KEYWORDS:    drivers moved kernel/drv


DESCRIPTION:

 Why have some drivers been moved from /kernel/drv to 
 /platform/`uname -i`/kernel/drv?

SOLUTION:

Drivers in /platform/`uname -i`/kernel/drv are platform-dependent, e.g.,
they manage some platform-dependent device, or must otherwise include
some platform-dependent knowledge.  This makes them non-DDI compliant by
definition since the DDI explicitly tries to abstract such differences
away behind reasonable interfaces. 

Drivers in /kernel/drv are supposed to be platform *independent*, e.g.,
they should be able to drive a device on a particular bus on any
platform within that instruction set.  DDI-compliant drivers belong in
this directory. 

The other axis to the equation is /usr/kernel/drv and
 /usr/platform/`uname -i`/kernel/drv.  Briefly, a driver belongs in the
 /usr hierarchy if it isn't needed to mount the root filesystem. 


DATE APPROVED: 07/28/95