The Great IRQ Debate in the Linux kernel

We interrupt our normal kernel hacking in order to bring you this special report on an outbreak of IRQ warfare. OK, wait. I just made that up as an example of what happens when a device on your PC wants the processor, in hardware terms, or the kernel, from a software point of view, to do something. To signal the processor that it needs something done, the device turns on the appropriate IRQ, short for Interrupt ReQuest. The kernel takes care of business by satisfying the request, then turns the IRQ off again. more>>>