Messages in this thread |  | | | Date | Mon, 27 Sep 1999 12:02:49 -0400 | | From | Jeff Garzik <> | | Subject | Re: [Q]: Linux and real device drivers |
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Alan Cox wrote: > > > >you can't just fire people for being too lazy to write > > >documentation. > > > > Sure you can: ``Until you write documentation, this isn't going > > into the mainline kernel.'' > > It doesnt actually seem to arise with other projects. For one thing most > people dont change interfaces. It works the same, it does the same thing, > it just doesnt crash now - that tends not to need docs
For the Linux kernel I disagree. New driver submissions frequently call old interfaces and needlessly duplicate code because the driver author was unaware of a function or two.
Sure, the source code is out there for them to read, but I seriously doubt most people go to the trouble of reading the implementation of each interface they use. For example, how many people know create create_proc_entry() will create directories for you, if you pass it a pathname like "tty/foo"?
Stable interfaces like that IMHO benefit from docs, to enable driver authors to use modern, up-to-date interfaces.
Regards,
Jeff
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