Linux APIC Code Prepares For A Major Overhaul

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux APIC Code Prepares For A Major Overhaul

The x86 APIC subsystem within the Linux kernel is beginning the process of a major overhaul with the Linux 3.17 kernel...

http://www.phoronix.com/vr.php?view=MTc2MTk

[uid313]

What is this good for?

What is this good for?

Why is it desirable that it supports hotplugging?

[mark45]

Why is it desirable that it supports hotplugging?

The answer is in your question. It's about how the system interacts with hot hardware - there's many usecases where people accidentally burn the keyboards, video cams etc and can't plug/use them anymore, now even if they're on fire you can still "hotplug" them to your computer. It also enables pyromaniacs to use computers productively. In fact this feature can save lives, for example if there's a fire in your house and your keyboard is burning you can still use it to call 911 thru the internet.

[dweigert]

Think Business class laptops that can dock and undock. This will let you have the flexibility to perform that action and do proper device rediscovery.

[computerquip]

Well, you can hotplug CPUs in some cases (some cases being in VMs generally) which Linux supports... why not support hotplugging for everything else?

[Delgarde]

FYI, I'm vanishing for 2 weeks into my annual kids summer camp kitchen duty^Wvacation, while you folks are drooling at KS/LinuxCon But HPA will have a look at the hopefully zero fallout until I'm back.

*Never* a good way to sign off an email... that's pretty much guaranteed to invoke Murphy's Law...