From kde-hardware-devel Sat Apr 25 23:27:15 2009 From: Gaetano Andrea Callea Date: Sat, 25 Apr 2009 23:27:15 +0000 To: kde-hardware-devel Subject: [Kde-hardware-devel] QtBiosUpdate, Message-Id: <47a18b910904251627h57ea387fp2a5abd80b547f474 () mail ! gmail ! com> X-MARC-Message: https://marc.info/?l=kde-hardware-devel&m=124081400429943 MIME-Version: 1 Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="--===============1534972045==" --===============1534972045== Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=001636164899137c460468697494 --001636164899137c460468697494 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Hi All, First things first: I'm including all of these mailing lists and people because I reckon that might be good to discuss this idea with all of you involving so many aspects and realities and considering that joining efforts and ideas could bring up something more interesting than my rants. Of course when I say "involving so many aspects" I mean that all of you might be interested for the nature of this thing and for what you already do in your respective fields. After this will be defined (for the better hopefully) we could trim down the parties to the case a bit. Of course anyone can call himself in or out of things and/or blame me for SPAM and/or heresy at any time. One last note: I include links at the end of this email, so you can read about the existing projects I mention here if you don't know about them yet. So, let's get to the matter: QtBiosUpdate, like many of you already understood from the name, it's about writing a Qt application to (guess what?) perform the BIOS Update. A bit of story first, to get the idea: The idea of QtBiosUpdate all started from the boring manual update[0] of my Dell XPS M1330. I first wrote a BASH script[1] to automate the process, then I spoke to drf_ (an italian KDE develpoer) to get a GUI for this script, he suggested that it could have been better to make a real application and use libsmbios[2] instead of calling Dell's dellBiosUpdate to make a 10 minutes GUI and he offered to help. So I created a repo on github[3] but unfortunately he's busy with so many projects and I didn't even start to learn C++ and Qt, so QtBiosUpdate stuck at a concept level. Meanwhile, some folks told me that Dell's repositories provide "Firmware_Tools"[4] and that updating the BIOS with it it's just a matter of updating the system; a breeze. True, but unfortunately this seem to be available only for certain distro and only for Dell's at the moment. Provided that I'm not a develpoer: that's where QtBiosUpdate comes in, along with libsmbios. In few words, QtBiosUpdate will use libsmbios[5], by itself or with some "pluggable" application like Dell's dellBiosUpdate[6], and it will take care of BIOS updates. Since libsmbios talks (or will talk) to many verndor's BIOSes we could have one unique Qt application for any flavour of Linux and for any vendors to update their BIOS. One might question the choice of Qt here, fair enough but: Qt are cross platform and don't depend on the whole KDE. This it's a good starting point for a (very imaginative I know) porting to other software worlds and, right now, desktop agnostic and light. Some other already objected that: "well then it might be usable, but I will still prefer the livecd of my vendor"; but I don't agree with this. Would you prefer: (provided that Firmware_Tools seem to be available only for certain distro and only for Dell's at the moment) 1 - get the distro (if your vendor provides one) 2 - burn the CD (or use the img for USB ok) 3 - reboot in livecd/usb 4 - update the BIOS. 5 - reboot 6 - repeat this every time you need to update the BIOS. or: 1 - fire up one application, update and reboot. I would definitely go for the second option. Wouldn't you? Another thing that someone mentioned in this evening chat is about fundings. What if Dell (or any vendor) or Linux Foundation[7] or any ISV (or a joint venture of these players) could provide fundings for this to get developed?? This will help speeding up things. I call myself ouy of this, I'm not a developer and I would feel like stealing money. The only thing that I could want would be my name mentioned in the project, that's all. While on players topic and what they could do for QtBiosUpdate, another good thing they could do (or the only one perhaps) is providing tools to work with (I think of a repo better than mine, a mailing list and hadrware). So the first move, after we get this whole QtBiosUpdate thing understood a bit better on the feasiblity matter, could be to blog about it and have a little propaganda to search for partners. I know that I sound funny (or stupid if you will) since I include also some Dell's mailing list here, but I stronlgy think that we should get this accepted by other parties too and involve them so to get a large army working and brainstorming on this. But blogging could start even from now, so folks, should you blog about it and see what happens? Might be that someone would read it and get interested[8]. We could start from developing for Dell's only and showcase the QtBiosUpdate, then lobby about it and get other parties involved. IMHO the most important thing (that I keep stressing) is getting vendors to use libsmbios and HDR BIOS as a standard for Linux[9]. At the end of the story everyone (everyone being a verndor or a distro and most important us, the final users of Linux) will benefit from this. One library and one application to update BIOS for everyone. [As J.R.R. Tolkien told me yesterday: "Many vendors, many computers, many BIOSes, one application to update them all ;)"] I hope you like it and that it is feasible. ps: I started working on a GUI mock up, you can find it in my repository. [0] http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Tech/libsmbios_dellBiosUpdate [1] http://github.com/cga/dellbiosupdate.sh/tree/master [2] http://linux.dell.com/libsmbios/main/index.html [3] http://github.com/cga/qtbiosupdate/tree/master [4] http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Oss/Firmware_Tools [5] Provided that libsmbios works for other vendors too or that vendors might switch to it in the Linux world with a bit of lobbying from Dell or from the Linux Foundation. [6] Which introduces us to the modular structure QtBiosUpdate should have in case we'll need something like dellBiosUpdate from other vendors. [7] Please someone start a workgroup on Linux Foundation if he can request one. [8] Another idea of mine that is being developed by kde devs: http://www.nabble.com/KDE-4.x---SOLID---smart-card-integration-to22170188.html [9] But this can start only from a strong position like the one Dell or the Linux Foundation have. -- Callea Gaetano Andrea --001636164899137c460468697494 Content-Type: text/html; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi All,

First things first:

I'm including all of these ma= iling lists and people because I reckon that might be good to discuss this = idea with all of you involving so many aspects and realities and considerin= g that joining efforts and ideas could bring up something more interesting = than my rants. Of course when I say "involving so many aspects" I= mean that all of you might be interested for the nature of this thing and = for what you already do in your respective fields. After this will be defin= ed (for the better hopefully) we could trim down the parties to the case a = bit. Of course anyone can call himself in or out of things and/or blame me = for SPAM and/or heresy at any time. One last note: I include links at the e= nd of this email, so you can read about the existing projects I mention her= e if you don't know about them yet.

So, let's get to the matter:

QtBiosUpdate, like many of you = already understood from the name, it's about writing a Qt application t= o (guess what?) perform the BIOS Update.

A bit of story first, to ge= t the idea:

The idea of QtBiosUpdate all started from the boring manual update[0] o= f my Dell XPS M1330. I first wrote a BASH script[1] to automate the process= , then I spoke to drf_ (an italian KDE develpoer) to get a GUI for this scr= ipt, he suggested that it could have been better to make a real application= and use libsmbios[2] instead of calling Dell's dellBiosUpdate to make = a 10 minutes GUI and he offered to help. So I created a repo on github[3] b= ut unfortunately he's busy with so many projects and I didn't even = start to learn C++ and Qt, so QtBiosUpdate stuck at a concept level.

Meanwhile, some folks told me that Dell's repositories provide &quo= t;Firmware_Tools"[4] and that updating the BIOS with it it's just = a matter of updating the system; a breeze. True, but unfortunately this see= m to be available only for certain distro and only for Dell's at the mo= ment.

Provided that I'm not a develpoer: that's where QtBiosUpdate co= mes in, along with libsmbios.

In few words, QtBiosUpdate will use li= bsmbios[5], by itself or with some "pluggable" application like D= ell's dellBiosUpdate[6], and it will take care of BIOS updates. Since l= ibsmbios talks (or will talk) to many verndor's BIOSes we could have on= e unique Qt application for any flavour of Linux and for any vendors to upd= ate their BIOS.

One might question the choice of Qt here, fair enough but: Qt are cross= platform and don't depend on the whole KDE. This it's a good start= ing point for a (very imaginative I know) porting to other software worlds = and, right now, desktop agnostic and light.

Some other already objected that: "well then it might be usable, b= ut I will still prefer the livecd of my vendor"; but I don't agree= with this.

Would you prefer: (provided that Firmware_Tools seem to = be available only for certain distro and only for Dell's at the moment)=

=A0 1 - get the distro (if your vendor provides one)
=A0 2 - burn th= e CD (or use the img for USB ok)
=A0 3 - reboot in livecd/usb
=A0 4 -= update the BIOS.
=A0 5 - reboot
=A0 6 - repeat this every time you n= eed to update the BIOS.

or:

=A0 1 - fire up one application, update and reboot.

I= would definitely go for the second option. Wouldn't you?

Anothe= r thing that someone mentioned in this evening chat is about fundings. What= if Dell (or any vendor) or Linux Foundation[7] or any ISV (or a joint vent= ure of these players) could provide fundings for this to get developed?? Th= is will help speeding up things. I call myself ouy of this, I'm not a d= eveloper and I would feel like stealing money. The only thing that I could = want would be my name mentioned in the project, that's all.

While on players topic and what they could do for QtBiosUpdate, another= good thing they could do (or the only one perhaps) is providing tools to w= ork with (I think of a repo better than mine, a mailing list and hadrware).=

So the first move, after we get this whole QtBiosUpdate thing understoo= d a bit better on the feasiblity matter, could be to blog about it and have= a little propaganda to search for partners. I know that I sound funny (or = stupid if you will) since I include also some Dell's mailing list here,= but I stronlgy think that we should get this accepted by other parties too= and involve them so to get a large army working and brainstorming on this.=

But blogging could start even from now, so folks, should you blog about= it and see what happens?

Might be that someone would read it and ge= t interested[8]. We could start from developing for Dell's only and sho= wcase the QtBiosUpdate, then lobby about it and get other parties involved.= IMHO the most important thing (that I keep stressing) is getting vendors t= o use libsmbios and HDR BIOS as a standard for Linux[9].

At the end of the story everyone (everyone being a verndor or a distro = and most important us, the final users of Linux) will benefit from this. On= e library and one application to update BIOS for everyone. [As J.R.R. Tolki= en told me yesterday: "Many vendors, many computers, many BIOSes, one = application to update them all ;)"]

I hope you like it and that it is feasible.

ps: I started workin= g on a GUI mock up, you can find it in my repository.

[0] http:/= /linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php/Tech/libsmbios_dellBiosUpdate
[1] http://= github.com/cga/dellbiosupdate.sh/tree/master
[2] http://linux.dell.com/libsmbios/ma= in/index.html
[3] http://githu= b.com/cga/qtbiosupdate/tree/master
[4] http://linux.dell.com/wiki/index.php= /Oss/Firmware_Tools

[5] Provided that libsmbios works for other vendors too or that vendors= might switch to it in the Linux world with a bit of lobbying from Dell or = from the Linux Foundation.
[6] Which introduces us to the modular struct= ure QtBiosUpdate should have in case we'll need something like dellBios= Update from other vendors.

[7] Please someone start a workgroup on Linux Foundation if he can requ= est one.
[8] Another idea of mine that is being developed by kde devs: <= a href=3D"http://www.nabble.com/KDE-4.x---SOLID---smart-card-integration-to= 22170188.html">http://www.nabble.com/KDE-4.x---SOLID---smart-card-integrati= on-to22170188.html
[9] But this can start only from a strong position like the one Dell or the= Linux Foundation have.

--
Callea Gaetano Andrea
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