Re: Bug#161931: kernel-image-2.4.19-k7: VESA driver for console

[Ian Jackson <ian@davenant.greenend.org.uk>]

Ian Jackson writes ("Re: Bug#161931: kernel-image-2.4.19-k7: VESA driver for console"):
> I think all that's going to be said has been said.  So I hereby
> propose the following resolution and immediately call for a vote.

Thanks everyone for your contributions, and thanks to the voting
committee members for your votes.  The following resolution has
passed:

 1. The Technical Committee has considered the question of whether
    VESA fb support should be compiled into the default kernel, as
    requested in Bug#161931.

 2. We have concluded that:
     * inclusion has significant benefits for some users, and
     * inclusion has no significant costs.
    Therefore, the VESA fb driver should be included.

 3. In particular, we have considered the following supposed downsides
    to including the driver in the distribution kernel:

  a. That the increase in kernel size (while not significant for just
    VESA fb) due to including all other non-modular drivers in a
    similar position, would be significant and perhaps problematic for
    boot floppies etc.

    This question is difficult to analyse conclusively, but we feel it
    is largely unsubstantiated.  If demand for many other similar
    drivers turns out to be similarly high, and including them is a
    problem, we are certainly prepared to make specific decisions in
    specific cases, and/or revisit VESA fb as part of a broader
    question.

  b. That the non-modularity of the VESA driver harms the kernel
    architecture.

    This is clearly relevant for a kernel architect, when choosing
    what drivers to include in a source tree.  However, we do not feel
    that it is relevant when - as distributors - we consider which
    drivers to enable or disable.

 4. Accordingly we request (or require, if the required supermajority
    is reached according to the Constitution) that the Debian kernel
    maintainers change the configuration to include the VESA fb driver
    in the default kernel, at their earliest convenience.

Votes in favour: Ian, Jason, Raul.
Votes against: Manoj.

We have achieved the 3:1 majority required to overrule the maintainer.
I'll re-reassign the bug, and update the committee web page.

Ian.