Linux 5.11 Drops AMD Zen Voltage/Current Reporting Over Lack Of Documentation

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux 5.11 Drops AMD Zen Voltage/Current Reporting Over Lack Of Documentation

The Linux hardware monitoring "k10temp" driver is dropping support for reporting CPU voltage and current information for AMD Zen-based processors over lack of documentation for being able to properly support the functionality...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5.11-Drops-k10temp-V-C

[juxuanu]

So much about using AMD but this documentation issue has been going forever with their CPUs.

[Laughing1]

bridgman

[shmerl]

Why can't AMD document it?

[bug77]

Why can't AMD document it?

If I had to guess, I'd say with Zen being relatively new, the architecture changes faster than documentation can.

[jabl]

• Hello world, please buy our new awesome CPU's!
• Wow, cool. Can I haz some documentation so I can use it?
• Nope, that's a trade secret.

[agd5f]

Why can't AMD document it?

No reason in particular. Someone would have to write up and release the documentation which is probably as much, if not more, work than writing the code, but in either case, there is no one to do it at the moment as far as I know. While it's nice to have, this isn't exactly a critical feature for a viable platform.

[duby229]

No reason in particular. Someone would have to write up and release the documentation which is probably as much, if not more, work than writing the code, but in either case, there is no one to do it at the moment as far as I know. While it's nice to have, this isn't exactly a critical feature for a viable platform.

And this is the reason why people believe AMD treats linux as a second class citizen... This isn't right, in fact it's very, very wrong...

We do appreciate the Open Source efforts that have been made, but comments like this one hurts AMD. Stating that it's not exactly critical implies that you don't care, and that after you admit that it would be nice to have... That whole last sentence should have been left out. You should have just stated that there is no one to do it at the moment (and stated a reason why no-one can do it at the moment) and left it at that...

It makes me wonder how much else you think isn't critical enough to care about... Many times now you've made it seem pretty obvious you don't care about linux support...

[Adarion]

While it's nice to have, this isn't exactly a critical feature for a viable platform.

Do you buy a car without a fuel / battery gauge? It might not be the most essential thing - but it's shoddy if this functionality doesn't work.
I'm surprised that there isn't even a doc for internal use that could have been used as a base.
No matter if it was developed by AMD or if it is 3rd party.

Otoh, well, if the driver works it shouldn't be kicked from the kernel. If we kicked all drivers without proper docs... O.o

[Space Heater]

No reason in particular. Someone would have to write up and release the documentation which is probably as much, if not more, work than writing the code, but in either case, there is no one to do it at the moment as far as I know. While it's nice to have, this isn't exactly a critical feature for a viable platform.

Couldn't this be accomplished by having an AMD employee send an email containing the correct offsets/calibration information to the relevant mailing lists? My point is that this doesn't seem to necessitate a formal documentation and publication effort from AMD, just an email every time a new series of processors are launched.