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View Full Version : Ubuntu needs a driver delivery platform



AndThenWhat
June 17th, 2008, 04:43 AM
Don't you agree that Ubuntu should have a built-in program that searches for drivers by the usb id automatically through an online database like Windows Vista?

When I was using Windows Vista earlier today and I plugged in my brand new webcam, it asked me to search online for the drivers and viola it worked without even putting in the CD. It got me thinking that if there was an online driver repository for Ubuntu like the one Windows has, life would rock.

This would hugely benefit the Linux community because I know that there are a lot of drivers out there that people simply cannot find because they aren't on Google, or the people aren't computer-savvy enough.

barbedsaber
June 17th, 2008, 04:52 AM
it would be really good, but
It would need to warn users if the driver was proprietry.

bufsabre666
June 17th, 2008, 04:55 AM
i like the idea, but isnt this the reason the restricted driver manager was made?

AndThenWhat
June 17th, 2008, 04:56 AM
it would be really good, but
It would need to warn users if the driver was proprietry.

totally true and that would cover Ubuntu from lawsuits, but it would not take much effort at all to do that.

Mr. Picklesworth
June 17th, 2008, 04:57 AM
Right now, it's my understanding that every driver on the face of the earth is right there in the core install, which has indeed always struck me as a little bit ugly. Could anyone clarify that point?

FuturePilot
June 17th, 2008, 05:01 AM
I thought there was some plan like this for Jockey.

Robux the great
June 17th, 2008, 05:17 AM
I think that automated drivers would be soo cool

Regards

Rob

AndThenWhat
June 17th, 2008, 05:34 AM
i like the idea, but isnt this the reason the restricted driver manager was made?

yeah, except right now the restricted driver manager is limited to only things that are crucial to using the computer like video card drivers. I am talking about making a system that is:

a) automated (you plug in the device and it immediately prompts you to search the online database)

b) for non-essential devices (aka webcams, cameras, MP3 Players)

c) easy for everyone to contribute drivers they find

barbedsaber
June 17th, 2008, 05:42 AM
now, its time to put it onto ubuntu brainstorm. When you are done andthenwhat, please post the link to the idea, so that we can "digg" it.

ad_267
June 17th, 2008, 05:52 AM
I thought all the drivers for that sort of stuff were already loaded in the kernel?

You usually don't need to install a driver, stuff just works.

AndThenWhat
June 17th, 2008, 06:01 AM
now, its time to put it onto ubuntu brainstorm. When you are done andthenwhat, please post the link to the idea, so that we can "digg" it.

Thanks for the URL. Apparently great minds think alike and a similar idea has already been submitted and dug up:

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/9196/

Lord Xeb
June 17th, 2008, 06:21 AM
I thought all the drivers for that sort of stuff were already loaded in the kernel?

You usually don't need to install a driver, stuff just works.

Not necessarily. The ATI restricted drivers are FireGL drivers not OpenGL. This is good for FireGL graphics cards but doesn't really function all too well on a normal card (like my X300 for example). FireGL is built for Rendering not gaming or graphics.

zekopeko
June 17th, 2008, 10:20 AM
i think that what you are asking is the ultimate goal of jockey (aka restricted driver manager aka hardware drivers).

bomanizer
June 17th, 2008, 10:22 AM
I thought all the drivers for that sort of stuff were already loaded in the kernel?

You usually don't need to install a driver, stuff just works.

This is true, usually :) For example, both my Panasonic camera and my GF's Canon were instantly recognized. This is standard stuff nowadays with a modern, up to-date distro. Once I tried to use a PCMCIA wifi-card with my laptop, just for the hell of it and it worked instantly. Also, I'm able to use my GPRS phone as an modem using ppp and pon/poff (configuration files (http://wiki.ubuntu-fi.org/Matkapuhelin_modeemina_elisa) needed, though... but no extra drivers).

bufsabre666
June 17th, 2008, 10:23 AM
Thanks for the URL. Apparently great minds think alike and a similar idea has already been submitted and dug up:

http://brainstorm.ubuntu.com/idea/9196/

voted up