Messages in this thread | | | Date | Thu, 5 Nov 1998 13:15:02 -0800 | From | David Hinds <> | Subject | Re: pre*-6 breaks PCMCIA again |
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> >extern timer_pending conflicts with static int timer_pending in > >PCMCIA tcic.c This was introduced in Andreas arca*-7 patch and > >incorporated in pre*-6. > >You guys must really love dhinds. > > I would suggest you ask dhinds to either > - submit his pcmcia stuff to the standard kernel > - or use non-generic names
I'd call this just another example of the consequences of C's weak support for separate name spaces. I suppose I could prefix all static global identifiers with unique prefixes to avoid ever risking a conflict with an external global definition, but it seems like a lot of effort to fix an occasional minor annoyance.
I think anyone using the latest development kernel (especially a pre-* kernel!) should expect such things and be capable of coping with them: they really aren't worth complaining about. I don't expect people to test kernel patches against PCMCIA before submitting them. There will always be a limited amount of version skew.
As for making PCMCIA part of the standard kernel... it is something that I've obviously thought about before. My (possibly outdated, probably exaggerated) impression was that based on the difficulty I've had in getting PCMCIA-friendly changes into the kernel over the years, that Linus was, if not hostile, at best never particularly interested in it. Also, given the size and complexity of the PCMCIA package, it seems more easily maintainable as a separate entity, even if it means I have to deal with the kernel version skew issue from time to time. I'm not sure it was/is the best way to go and may change my mind in the future: I'm sure there's a cost to separate distribution, in that regular kernel developers are less likely to look at the code. But as I'm sure Linus would agree, having final editorial control also has its advantages.
-- Dave Hinds
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