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List:       linux-arm-kernel
Subject:    Re: 2.6.12 for AT91RM9200
From:       Russell King - ARM Linux <linux () arm ! linux ! org ! uk>
Date:       2005-06-29 17:21:39
Message-ID: 20050629182138.R7272 () flint ! arm ! linux ! org ! uk
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On Wed, Jun 29, 2005 at 11:28:02AM -0500, Bill Gatliff wrote:
> Russell:
> 
> Russell King - ARM Linux wrote:
> >Except when we do cross-kernel API changes, or would you like folk to
> >ignore the AT91 code and leave you to fix the resulting breakage?
> >(in which case the question has to be asked: why do you want your code
> >in the mainline kernel tree?)
> 
> What happens to PXA and SA when cross-kernel API changes happen?

They get updated.  For instance, when I change the serial interfaces,
as is happening real soon now to fix a CTS issue, I don't just change
the core driver and the drivers I'm personally interested in.  I
update _all_ the merged drivers as appropriate, which means _I_ need
to be able to _quickly_ understand them.  In turn, it helps that they're
all the same Coding Style so I don't have to spend too long on each one.

Alternatively, I could just change the ones I'm interested in, and
wait for inevitable deadlocks and such like to be reported, wait
for the individual driver authors to debug what's changed and submit
their own patches individually.  And maybe in a months time we'll have
80% of them up to date.  And you can bet the remaining 20% will be
used as examples for new drivers.

Another recent example - sysfs's attributes changed their interface.
GregKH updated the _entire_ kernel tree for that change.

Another example - several scsi changes impacted drivers/scsi/arm.
The drivers were updated by the folk doing those changes; I didn't
even have to think about them.

So yes, expect other people to be fiddling with _your_ code after it's
been merged.  Don't assume that you have exclusive access.

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