Linux.com: The Great IRQ Debate in the Linux Kernel

“We interrupt our normal kernel hacking in order to bring you
this special report on an outbreak of IRQ warfare. OK, wait. I just
made that up as an example of what happens when a device on your PC
wants the processor, in hardware terms, or the kernel, from a
software point of view, to do something. To signal the processor
that it needs something done, the device turns on the appropriate
IRQ, short for Interrupt ReQuest. The kernel takes care of business
by satisfying the request, then turns the IRQ off again.

“There has been a lot of talk lately on the Linux Kernel Mailing
List (LKML) about allowing the devices themselves to control
turning the IRQ off. Those who want to make it easier for closed
source drivers to interact with the kernel would like to have that
capability. Torvalds is firmly against it. It’s the binary blob
versus the GPL all over again, but along different fault
lines…”

Complete
Story