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    SubjectRe: [RFC] Splitting kernel headers and deprecating __KERNEL__
    Linus Torvalds wrote:
    > iow, using "uint32_t" and friends is _stupid_. The only fathomable
    > argument for doing so would be consistency,

    I think consistency is a worthwhile goal in this case. I guess we
    can work towards consistency even without using uint32_t in kernel
    headers.

    This still bears the risk that people will copy __u32 and friends
    from headers to then non-portable applications, but I guess that's
    something we just have live with.

    Since C now finally has standard types with well-defined sizes, I
    think there's little reason for applications not to use these types.
    So peer pressure should eventually make everyone at least compatible.

    A first step towards enabling converence would be to _guarantee_
    that glibc types are _identical_ to the kernel types, e.g.

    /usr/include/stdint.h:
    #include <linux-user/types.h> /* only __u32 and such */

    typedef __u32 uint32_t;
    ...

    (If they just "happen to be the same", people may still not trust
    this, and will feel justified inventing their own schemes. And as
    ugly as uint32_t may look, it's still infinitely better than code
    where each library contributes its own set of sized integers ...)

    Then, in a few years, when uint32_t and friends are considered
    as much a part of the C language as "int", we might be able to
    sed s/__u32/uint32_t/g the kernel, and obtain perfect consistency.

    Does this sound reasonable ?

    > So forget about that stupid abortion called "uint32_t" already. It buys
    > you absolutely nothing.

    Now, what do we do with them when they are inside the kernel,
    far from any interfaces ? Live and let live ? Deprecate them
    early on January 1st, when nobody is watching ? :-)

    Thanks,
    - Werner

    --
    _________________________________________________________________________
    / Werner Almesberger, Buenos Aires, Argentina wa@almesberger.net /
    /_http://www.almesberger.net/____________________________________________/
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