Re: understanding extrange kernel options for ibook2.2

[Alain Perry <sensei@quarkup.org>]

> hi list,
> 
> i'm trying to understand each options i have in the kernel for my ibook 2.2 and i have some questions ...

I'll try to answer with the limited knowledge I have...

> <*> APM emulation . what's this ? there's no help available. if the ibook has APM, why emulate it ?

APM is a x86 thing. On the Mac world, the approximate equivalent is
called PMU. The APM emulation is useful for programs that use APM (and
there's a number of them).

> [*] Include MacIO (CHRP) ADB driver . and this ?

ADB is AFAIK the protocol used by the mice and keyboards on Macs.

> [*] Support for ADB input devices (keyboard, mice, ...) . this options encourages to say yes to "Keyboard support" (CONFIG_INPUT_KEYBDEV), "Mouse Support" (CONFIG_INPUT_MOUSEDEV) and "Event interface x support" (CONFIG_INPUT_EVDEV). i haven't this options in the kernel and works fine. :?

Don't get it. Which option do you not have ? the event interface or all
of them ?

> [ ] DDC/I2C for ATI Radeon support . i don't understand this and google doesn't explain me very much :)

This is to allow the kernel to use the I2C interface of the Radeon card
to get info about it. I had to disable it because it would disable the
keyboard light sensors I2C interface, but some people seem to have no
problem with it...

> <M> I2C support
> <M> I2C device interface
> <M> Powermac Keywest I2C interface
> <M> CHRP Apple Hydra Mac I/O I2C interface
> 
> why we need I2C ? which options are required ?

I'm no specialist of I2C, but it is a bus to control and monitor some
pieces of hardware in your computer. Google should be your friend to
understand it. I'm not sure it's really needed, but it enables nice
things, like the keyboard backlight.

Hope this helps.

-- 
Alain Perry