Linux FireWire subsystem

2024/04/06 Takashi Sakamoto

Introduction

IEEE 1394 as known as FireWire is the technology established between the late of 1980’s and the beginning of 1990’s. The specification is firstly published in 1995, then commercialized. Many consumer equipments were produced until around 2010, then the market was shrank and disappeared. As of 2023, IEEE 1394 is legacy technology.

Linux kernel has a subsystem for the technology. This document includes helpful information about the subsystem. If interested in the subsystem itself, About the subsystem is a good entrance. If requiring update history of the documentation, About documentation will a good help.

Communication channel

Before using the channels, please take a look at Code of Conduct in Linux kernel development community.

Support and expected Contribution

As of 2023, few developers work to use the subsystem. We appreciate any type of help for it. For example, below items are welcome.

  • Donate configuration ROM image of your device

  • Provide information about PHY hardware <phy> of your device compliant to IEEE 1394a or later

  • Distribution packaging for maintained libraries and tools

  • Bug fixes for libraries

  • Bug reports to kernel drivers

Due to the limited human resources you may not receive enough support in an user level, especially applications in user space for which the original developer is already inactive. You could receive less help for items below.

  • How to use an application?

  • Why my device is not available?

Provided documents

Repositories

In the subsystem, kernel stack is mainly maintained. Some library, utility, resource are available in below repositories as well.

Maintenance schedule

As you know, IEEE 1394 is enough legacy. Sooner or later, users would leave. This subsystem has a time table to close the project.

  • 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026

    • Done: Replace the subsystem maintainer

    • Done: Refresh web site and update information

    • Get any help from Linux Foundation to place documents for specification defined by 1394 Trade Association

      • If no problems, upload the documents to the web site

    • Fix issues of subsystem

      • Pull requests to Linus

    • Take over the administration of communication channels

    • Adding the list archive of linux1394-devel to lore.kernel.org

    • Invite repositories of external librararies (libavc1394, libdc1394)

      • Announcement to distribution package maintainers about the upstream shift

  • 2027, 2028

  • 2029

    • Close the project

    • Close the communication channels

    • Resign the subsystem maintainer

After closing the project, the libraries, utilities, and resources are never updated, while software archives are available in kernel.org. The kernel stack has no maintainer, and would be possiblely removed from Linux operating system any day.

About documentation