kernel thread in ethernet driver??

["Mandeep Singh Sandhu" <mandeep_sandhu@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Hi all,

i was going thru the code of one of the network
drivers (8139too.c). In it's open method the driver
starts a kernel thread via a call to "kernel_thread"

my questoin is why is this thread required??? whenever
a user space prog. wud want to send data it can always
open the device and then do it's stuff. for reception of
packets if the driver is loaded in the memory then it
can always service the rx interrupt.

TIA

- /dev/mandeep

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