[PATCH 06/17] Document the linux,network-index property.

[Yoder Stuart-B08248]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: linuxppc-dev-bounces+b08248=freescale.com at ozlabs.org 
> [mailto:linuxppc-dev-bounces+b08248=freescale.com at ozlabs.org] 
> On Behalf Of Segher Boessenkool
> Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2007 8:31 AM
> To: Wood Scott-B07421
> Cc: linuxppc-dev at ozlabs.org
> Subject: Re: [PATCH 06/17] Document the linux,network-index property.
> 
> > To allow more robust association of each network device node with an
> > index (such as is used by the firmware or an EEPROM to indicate MAC
> > addresses), a network device's node may specify the index 
> explicitly.
> 
> > +   - linux,network-index : This is the intended "index" of this
> > +     network device.  This is used by the bootwrapper to interpret
> > +     MAC addresses passed by the firmware when no information other
> > +     than indices is available to associate an address 
> with a device.
> 
> What a nasty thing, and quite a misnomer too.  Linux
> _already_ knows how to bind ethN to which device, based
> on user preferences; what you are really after is a way
> to label the several network devices in your device tree
> for use by firmware.
> 
> There already is a completely generic such mechanism; it's
> called "aliases".
> 
> And yes I still believe the flattened dev tree should
> implement the "/aliases" node and drop the other alias
> mechanism, the OF-defined way is so much more flexible.
> It even shows up in /proc/device-tree :-)

Segher, what is the the 'other alias' mechanism you are referring
to that should be dropped?  Is it this proposed linux,network-index
property?  or something else?

Stuart