NAME

     intro - Introduction to kernel interface

SYNOPSIS

     #include <linux/version.h>

DESCRIPTION

     This section documents the  functions  available  to  device
     driver  writers  and kernel level modules. The functions are
     of interest mainly to device driver writers, although anyone
     considering running code in linux kernel mode may need to be
     familiar with these interfaces.

     Some of the functions of the DDI exist only in certain  ver-
     sions  of  the  kernel.  Use the LINUX_VERSION_CODE macro to
     test for specific versions of the kernel.  For  example,  to
     use a feature that is new to 2.1, say:

     #if LINUX_VERSION_CODE >= 0x020100
         ... use new stuff ...
     #else
         ... do it the old way ...
     #endif

     The following is a list of the man  pages,  divided  roughly
     into function groups.

  Kernel Functions
     These are general kernel functions.

          MAJOR

          MOD_INC_USE_COUNT

          cli

          get_user

          init_bh

          init_module

          kmalloc

          poll_wait

          printk

          probe_irq_on

          register_chrdev

          register_console

          request_irq

          save_flags

          sleep_on

          wake_up

  /proc functions
     These functions relate to manipulation of the /proc filesys-
     tem.

          proc_dir_entry

          proc_net_register

          proc_scsi_register

  BIOS32 functions
     These are specific to PCI (BIOS32) support.

          pcibios_find_class

          pcibios_present

          pcibios_read_config_byte

          pcibios_read_config_dword

          pcibios_read_config_word

          pcibios_strerror

          pcibios_write_config_byte

          pcibios_write_config_dword

          pcibios_write_config_word

  VM functions
     These are functions that support  manipulating  the  virtual
     memory subsystem.

          MAP_NR

          mem_map_reserve

  Network Functions
          skb_dequeue

          skb_insert

          skb_peek

          skb_queue_empty

          skb_queue_head

          skb_queue_head_init

          skb_queue_len

          skb_queue_tail

          skb_unlink

AVAILABILITY

     Each man page attempts to list the kernel versions where the
     function  is available. If the form of the function changes,
     this section tells when the described form applies.

SEE ALSO

     This section lists other man pages that may be of  interest.
     Also,  interesting  source  files in the linux kernel may be
     listed here.

AUTHORS

     Each man page has a section like this  one  that  lists  the
     author(s)  who contributed significantly to that page. Other
     unnamed individuals may also have  contributed  corrections,
     editorial, etc.

     Major contributors are (in alphabetical order) Cyrus  Durgin
     <cider@speakeasy.org>, Niel Moore <amethyst@maxwell.ml.org>,
     Keith     Owens     <kaos@ocs.com.au>,     Kirk     Petersen
     <kirk@speakeasy.org>,  Jim  Van Zandt <jrv@vanzandt.mv.com>,
     and Stephen Williams <steve@icarus.com>.

     Editorial, and this intro page, were done by Stephen  Willi-
     ams <steve@icarus.com>.

BUGS

     The living linux kernel is a moving target, and  the  kernel
     functions  are unique to linux. Therefore, although the edi-
     tor and contributers make a good effort to be as accurate as
     possible,  errors  may  exist. The source codes of the linux
     kernel are the ultimate authority on  the  behavior  of  any
     function and should be considered the final word.