Intel Says Clover Trail Atom CPU Won't Work With Linux | Hacker News Reader

Intel Says Clover Trail Atom CPU Won't Work With Linux

linux.slashdot.org

37 pointsautotravis12 comments

Intel never said that the processor won't run Linux, but that they aren't going to support it.

Huge difference.

The reason they aren't going to support it is because Windows uses different system calls relating to shutting down cores on the processor in order to save battery life, and they designed the chip specifically for Windows.

If you used Linux with the processor, you'd get horrible battery life, and Intel understandably does not want the blame for that.

I had an inkling the headline might be sensational after RTFA. So it looks like this is just one more poorly-documented hoop for kernel devs to jump through?

I don't think Slashdot would stoop to using a sensational headline just to get some extra views. /s

Seriously though, this is why I don't have /. on my bookmarks bar anymore. It's almost as bad as Fox News.

Sorry but this sounds like marketing speak. I highly doubt that Intel designs anything specifically for Windows at the CPU level.

There is no direct mapping between Windows System Calls and functionality of a specific chip. There is a ton of code between that system call and what actually happens on the chip or in its firmware.

The top layer sure is Windows specific because it runs as part of Windows. However, the bottom layer is just bits to fiddle with or instructions to send to the CPU and any OS can implement that. Including Linux.

Again, marketing blah.

If you click through to the source article, they even describe what I'm referring to:

>"Intel went to great lengths to highlight the new P-states and C-states in which it can completely shut down the clock of a core. The firm said the operating system needs to provide "hints" to the processor in order to make use of power states and it seems likely that such hints are presently not provided by the Linux kernel in order to properly make use of Clover Trail."

Also: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/ff19...

>"presently not provided by the Linux kernel"

How long until the commits start rolling in for this?

I'd imagine that they'll start as soon as the right developers gain access to the right specs. Real hardware wouldn't hurt either.

Noone writes why, but i'm quite sure why:

Atom contains the superawful PowerVR chip that is a nightmare in Linux and Intel never got around to release open source drivers (because it's only licensed form PowerVR).

Since I don't have an Atom with a PowerVR GPU, I cannot say how well (or not) it works. I'm not unhappy with whatever is in the N270, however.

http://www.unix-heaven.org/intel-powervr-gma3600-for-linux

Original article was already posted 9 hours ago: http://www.theinquirer.net/inquirer/news/2205462/idf-intel-s...

i'm not really surprised. I remember intel guys talking about hybrid tablets in the near future, with a iX CPU's running on the docks and atoms in the tablet part.

don't forget that we're talking about atom CPU's here. for all I care atoms are shit anyway, the AMD fusion alternatives are much better.

on the one hand, why would the linux kernel support some stuff that isn't there yet and only relevant to new windows 8 tablets.

on the other hand I don't see the intel linux driver teams disappearing anytime soon.

Then I guess I won't be running Intel chips...that was simple.

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