Date:	Mon, 8 Mar 1999 19:39:07 -0500 (EST)
From:	"Theodore Y. Ts'o" <tytso@MIT.EDU>
To:	linux-kernel@vger.rutgers.edu, linux-serial@vger.rutgers.edu
Subject: New release of the serial driver, in standalone form....

Hi,

	I'm happy to report the release of a the serial driver in a
standalone distribution.  That is, it is distributed separately from the
kernel, and will work with both Linux 2.0 and Linux 2.2 kernels.  It
contains all of the new features and added UART support found in the 2.2
kernel, so that users who still want to stick with the Linux 2.0 kernel
but who want better support for the 16650 and 16750 UARTS can get it.
In addition, this new driver also has (ta-dah!) support for the Oxford
16C950 UART.

	In my opinion, the 16C950 UART is a really good chip; people who
are looking for a UART upgrade, run not walk to chip supply store and a
16C950 UART from Oxford Semiconductor.  It is pin-compatible with the
16450/16550A, and features a 128-byte deep FIFO, and allows you to get
230kbps or 460kbps without needing to upgrade your clock crystal on your
serial board!  

	Unlike the 16650, it is clear that a lot of thought went into
its design, and is highly backwards compatible with previous UART
designs.  It also has a very nice method by which device drivers can
unambiguously identify the UART as a 16C950, and if it is a 16C950, the
revision of the chip design.  This has made the 16C950 a joy to
program.  So if you want to support a UART manufacturer that has
actually done a decent job of designing a chip, support Oxford
Semiconductor; they definitely deserve kudos.

	Anyway, the new serial driver and a setserial progam which
recognizes the new UART ID# for the 16950 can be found at:

	ftp://tsx-11.mit.edu/pub/linux/ALPHA/serial

Please try it out and let me know what you think!  (Yes, eventually this
version of the serial driver will get merged into Linux 2.3 and possibly
into future versions of Linux 2.2, if there's a big demand for it.)

						- Ted

P.S.  Next item on the todo list is to support PCI serial boards....


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