Re: [PATCH] Support for OWI/Maplin USB Robotic Arm

[Greg KH]

On Mon, Oct 08, 2012 at 11:52:56PM -0400, Maxin B John wrote:
> Hi Greg,
> 
> On Mon, Oct 8, 2012 at 7:55 PM, Greg KH <gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > On Mon, Oct 08, 2012 at 05:29:43PM -0400, Maxin B. John wrote:
> >> Hi Greg,
> >>
> >> This driver helps us to control the OWI/Maplin USB Robotic Arm device.
> >>
> >> I have tested this driver in my x86 Laptop and it works as expected
> >> (Some clean-ups and modifications are in the pipeline, though).
> >>
> >> After review process and the life in staging,I hope this driver will
> >> find it's place in "drivers/usb/misc/" :)
> >>
> >> The userspace utility program is available from the below URL:
> >> https://github.com/maxinbjohn/robotic_arm_driver
> >>
> >> OWI/Maplin USB Robotic arm is available from:
> >> http://www.maplin.co.uk/robotic-arm-kit-with-usb-pc-interface-266257
> >> http://www.owirobots.com/cart/html/owi-535pc-robotic-arm-kit-with-usb-pc-interface-assembled.html
> >>
> >> Please let me know your comments.
> >
> > Very nice, but are there any real requirement to have this be a kernel
> > driver, and not just be driven from userspace through libusb/usbfs
> > instead?
> 
> Thanks. A number of people are using the libusb based userspace
> applications to control these devices. This was an attempt to remove
> the libusb dependency and control the device easily like:
> # echo 1 > /sys/bus/usb/drivers/robotic_arm/5-1:1.0/led

I really think that libusb is the best way to control this device.  We
removed a bunch of drivers from the kernel a number of years ago that
could be better controlled by userspace.  Because of that, I can't take
this driver either.

Sorry,

greg k-h
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