While, I agree that this a huge problem overall, I'm think I have to
agree with the idea that it's not a regression.  If you read the
comments on Phoronix from the actual path author (which was only linked
on the little side bar of the page, not the main column), he makes the
statement a little more clear.

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=OTYwNA

The patch enables correct handling of the ASPM to the BIOS if it can
handle it, otherwise it lets the kernel do it.  However, it then depends
on the hardware drivers to setup the correct values.  That is the
problem that is happening with this bug according to the author.  The
kernel is now handling the situation correctly, and it is revealing a
lot of long standing bugs in a lot/most of the drivers and BIOSes in
that they don't handle ASPM correctly, or coded to the fact that the
kernel was incorrectly managing it before.  Quite frankly, it sounds a
lot like the whole IE6 problem plaguing web browsers.

Maybe this has something to do with the overall higher power consumption
in Ubuntu often seen.  On netbook in WinXP I can it down to 5W idling.
In Ubuntu with same config, it won't go below 7-8W.  The only thing I
can think that would make the different is the driver
settings/abilities.

So what is the correct fix?  That, I don't know.  BIOS and hardware
drivers are real culprits it seems.  Chances of BIOS fixes are probably
slim for the vast majority of systems.  And the drivers changes would
probably be numerous and slow going.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/760131

Title:
  Power consumption raised significantly in natty

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