lkml.org 
[lkml]   [1999]   [Jun]   [27]   [last100]   RSS Feed
Views: [wrap][no wrap]   [headers]  [forward] 
 
Messages in this thread
/
Date
From
SubjectRe: [patch] pagecache-2.3.9-H3, bmap & ext2fs cleanup patch


On Sat, 26 Jun 1999, Albert D. Cahalan wrote:
> >> Your way:
> >> Random bit patterns are perfectly valid, but still bad!
> >> Bugs will be more difficult to catch.
> >
> > "Me: we can't have random bitpatterns".
>
> Exactly how? This is totally wrong.

Basically the rule is:
- simple code has fewer bugs

> You can't _detect_ random
> bit patterns ever, because they have meaning. I'd say you are
> telling me that kernel code is always perfect.

No. I'm saying that introducing complexity to catch errors is STUPIDITY.

Often the errors are introduced by the complexity in the first place.
Sure, you found the bug, but what's the point? You wouldn't have HAD the
bug in the first place if you just wrote your code in a much more simple
manner.

The fact that you can add asserts is NEVER an excuse for making code more
complex.

> Following your logic, all of userspace VM should be mapped.
> If users can't segfault (no bug detected because all addresses
> are mapped), then there are no bugs. The code is perfect if
> you don't get a segfault, right?

The rule is: you make it as simple as you can, and no simpler.

It's a good rule. It's why I started a successful kernel, and so many
others have failed. Trust me.

Linus


-
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.rutgers.edu
Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/

\
 
 \ /
  Last update: 2005-03-22 13:52    [W:0.039 / U:0.048 seconds]
©2003-2020 Jasper Spaans|hosted at Digital Ocean and TransIP|Read the blog|Advertise on this site