Linux 5.5 Bringing A New System76 ACPI Driver For Their Coreboot-Enabled Laptops

Slated for introduction with the upcoming Linux 5.5 kernel is a System76 ACPI driver needed for their new laptops that are now shipping with an open-source Coreboot firmware implementation.

System76 recently launched two laptops that are featuring Coreboot support, which itself is open-source granted not 100% open-source due to there still being the relevant Intel firmware binaries bundled as part of the system. It at least is more exciting than a conventional proprietary BIOS and great seeing more vendors embracing Coreboot while we still long for the day that the likes of the Intel FSP and ME are neutralized completely or fully open-sourced.

Anyhow, that open-source firmware implementation has necessitated a new System76 ACPI driver (system76_acpi driver / SYSTEM76_ACPI Kconfig switch) for handling various features on these new laptops. System76's first Coreboot laptops are the Comet Lake powered Galago Pro and Darter Pro.

The new System76 ACPI driver enables support for the Fn/Fx key handling, keyboard backlight controls, and airplane mode LEDs for their Coreboot laptops. The new driver is currently queued as part of the "next" material for the x86 platform driver updates destined for the Linux 5.5 kernel merge window opening in November while the stable kernel debut will be in Q1'2020.