The xorg.conf.d Patches Emerge

[phoronix]

Phoronix: The xorg.conf.d Patches Emerge

One of the features being worked on for X Server 1.8 is the removal of HAL support. The FreeDesktop.org Hardware Abstraction Layer project is nice in that is multi-platform, but the HAL project has largely been abandoned and is being replaced by UDisks and similar projects.HAL is currently being used by the X Server for input device detection with hot-plugging support, mapping, and device option handling, but all of that is in the process of being gutted...

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

[Ranguvar]

As long as there's no screwed-up fontconfig-style avail.d/conf.d symlinking crap, please...

[KellyClowers]

HAL is currently being used by the X Server for input device detection with hot-plugging support, mapping, and device option handling, but all of that is in the process of being gutted. Instead the X Server will revert to using platform-specific libraries and code for handling these responsibilities.

So lame. It is silly that xorg should have it's own detection methods when OSs already have to deal with that.

Also, it sounds like keyboard config sharing between the console and xorg will be lost.

[stan]

How about making everything autodetect and user modifiable through XRANDR?

[timofonic]

Damn, this is so retarded...

KMS is the way to go, learn from it.

It's a shame need to configure devices like keyboard mapping both on console and X, the same was with screen modesetting until KMS appeared.

What about giving that stuff responsibility to the OS itself. Being the kernel, a daemon or whatever subsystem depending on the *NIX flavor.

Think about it. Forget about overcomplex configuration files, removing annoying redundancy on configuring a system (no need to specify to both X and console the keyboard mapping, locales...) and probably better integration with the OS itself.

Please consider it. This way X will be simpler and less painful to the user, no more configuring problems if the OS do the right thing detecting the hardware and providing an easy way for configuring certain stuff.

Kernel Mode Setting, Kernel HID Setting, Kernel Hardware Detection... ? Or using a proper standard subsystem for all *NIXes but properly done instead HAL/udev that abused XML crap?

[alanc]

How about making everything autodetect and user modifiable through XRANDR?

Because these are input devices, not screens - they're already autodetected, and runtime modifiable through the X Input extension. The xorg.conf.d patches just change the way drivers like synaptics and wacom deliver the default configurations for devices that go beyond the basic keyboard & mouse models - they'll deliver files there to state how to autodetect instead of .fdi files under /etc/hal.

[atroftDiative]

If budget provides... But most likely not. Probably just race the night race after this and make more trips to the desert