The Linux USB Library Has Been Forked

[phoronix]

Phoronix: The Linux USB Library Has Been Forked

Libusb has been forked as libusbx and it appears this library for user-space USB data transfers on Linux and other operating systems is gaining traction...

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

[schmidtbag]

libusb doesn't support hotplugging? That's like... the point of USB - a fast, hotswappable interface. Unless I'm misunderstanding it, I've been able to plug and unplug my USB devices just fine under linux.

[Qaridarium]

"The open-source USB library has even been ported to Windows"

?????????????????????? holy S...?

[RealNC]

libusb doesn't support hotplugging? That's like... the point of USB - a fast, hotswappable interface. Unless I'm misunderstanding it, I've been able to plug and unplug my USB devices just fine under linux.

That's handled by the kernel USB driver and udev. I am not sure why libusb is actually needed. It seems to be used by CUPS and SANE (for printers and scanners.)

[schmidtbag]

That's handled by the kernel USB driver and udev. I am not sure why libusb is actually needed. It seems to be used by CUPS and SANE (for printers and scanners.)

That would make sense because this pritner-scanner combo I have will occasionally cause kernel panics if I unplug it.

[evolution]

For Arch Linux users, I created this morning a package in AUR (if you want to try libusbx): https://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?ID=59473. At the moment, no problems so far...

Cheers

[DeepDayze]

That would make sense because this pritner-scanner combo I have will occasionally cause kernel panics if I unplug it.

maybe then sane/xsane and friends should make use of either the kernel USB driver/udev stack or even libusbx to avoid such instability.

[curaga]

Surely userspace can't cause a kernel panic like that, without a kernel bug.

[Adarion]

I wonder why some head devs seem unable to say "okay, I'm not able to deal with all that stuff anymore. Give me a break and somebody take over". Probably creators of a project becoming slow and less involved is one of the main reasons for forks. I mean it's not a shame to say I got too much "RL" troubles or a family and to step back a little and let somebody active take over.
Anyway. Welcome libusbx.

[Delgarde]

I wonder why some head devs seem unable to say "okay, I'm not able to deal with all that stuff anymore. Give me a break and somebody take over".

It's not that hard to understand. People who start projects are often very possessive of it - they're happy for others to contribute, but it's quite a different matter to completely hand it over to someone else. Even if he or she doesn't really spend much time on that project, it's still a big deal to step away and make it someone else's project.

Not everyone thinks that way, of course, but many do.