Mitch Bradley wrote:

quoted

 I'm also objecting the step (b) and, fortunately, it's not yet the
 status quo.
 Current U-Boot/kernel implementations I've encountered still do not
 have OS calls to resident HW access routines. But if such calls would
 be allowed, my impression is that SoC vendors would make extensive use
 of them.

One could argue that a feature that vendors would use extensively is one
that is sorely needed from their point of view.

yes, it would free them from writing these pesky linux drivers and getting
them into mainline :)