>  2) it *may* be possible to share an interrupt between the PCIC itself
> and one or more of the devices attached to it, which reduces the
> number of possible interrupts you need...

The problem is actually that on many laptops there are devices that
can be disabled in the BIOS and then do not probe, but that still
consume interrupt lines.   My laptop has such a device at IRQ 10 for
something that hangs off of its dock.

			       _MelloN_