Re: Desktop Kernel Stuff

[Federico Mena Quintero <federico ximian com>]

On Tue, 2003-07-08 at 20:24, Jeff Waugh wrote:

> So, let's build ourselves a list. :-) Which kernel issues are important to
> GNOME, at a technical level? Which kernel issues are important to GNOME
> users? I'll summarise, and take it to the streets.

Kernel: "userspace, the user wants to suspend the laptop."
Userspace: "ok, I'm going to save all unsaved documents just in case the
suspend fails.  IM clients will disconnect, etc."
[Userspace chugs for a little while.  Lights dim downstage.]
Userspace: "kernel, all done now.  Feel free to suspend yourself."
Kernel: "ok, cool."
[Kernel sync()s.  Laptop suspends.  Curtain falls.  User is happy.]

And while the following may be a console-owner thing, it would be nice
for "Suspend Computer" in the battery applet's menu to Just Work without
having to configure everything.  Right now I have to add sudo
permissions so that I can run "apm --suspend", etc.

Also it would be nice to get reliable power management.  My laptop
starts to suspend itself and then hangs if I have PCMCIA or USB stuff
plugged in.  If I unplug them first, it suspends fine.

As a completely unrelated issue, and maybe work is already underway ---
the X server should be able to get notified about the vblank interrupt
of the video card so that it can blit things during the vertical
retrace.  This is not horribly critical, but it could make the desktop
appear smoother.

  Federico