Detecting exploding batteries, part 2

[Richard Hughes]

On Mon, 2006-09-25 at 09:12 +0200, Danny Kukawka wrote:
> On Sunday 24 September 2006 22:20, Richard Hughes wrote:
> > The FDI file currently matches against the battery models in
> > https://www.dellbatteryprogram.com but I intend to add the other
> > batteries from Sony and HP (when I get sent the data) and hopefully
> > Apple also if we can get the info from PMU.
> >
> > In the event of another manufacturer recall, a single fdi update can be
> > pushed to distros, greatly improving the effectiveness of the recall
> > notice for laptop users IMO.
> 
> I don't see, why we need this in HAL. This has IMO really nothing to do with 
> Hardware Abstraction. This keys are not really battery information.

Umm. It's information about the hardware... Just like

info.linux.driver = 'agpgart-intel'

or something else like:

video_adapter_pm.s3_mode

> This data blowup HAL with information wich is outdated in some weeks because 
> the batteries are replaced in new laptops and the most of the batteries are 
> recalled by the laptop vendors. And with the _normal_ HAL release cycle this 
> information are old and complete useless.

Two points.

1. Vendors (Redhat/Suse) can send out updates to a HAL package in a
matter of days.

2. Useless? If it saves one person from having his/her laptop blow up
then isn't this a good thing? Most users won't send off the battery the
moment the press-release is announced; some may never be aware there is
a problem at all.

Richard.