Messages in this thread | | | Date | Tue, 21 Dec 2004 00:02:22 +0100 | From | Adrian Bunk <> | Subject | Re: [2.6 patch] ieee1394_core.c: remove unneeded EXPORT_SYMBOL's |
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On Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 05:58:06PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote: > On Mon, 2004-12-20 at 23:53 +0100, Adrian Bunk wrote: > > On Sun, Dec 19, 2004 at 11:27:50PM -0500, Dan Dennedy wrote: > > > On Sun, 2004-12-19 at 21:42 -0500, Lee Revell wrote: > > > > What do you tell a vendor who wants to write a driver for their device? > > > > "OK, about half the functions you need are in the kernel, the other half > > > > you have to port from this old kernel because we removed them. Maybe we > > > > will put them back if we really like your driver"? > > > > > > While I think some of Adrian's points are valid, I am exercising caution > > > because I am a new maintainer for linux1394 (although not new to the > > > project in general). This is an interface version management issue IMHO. > > > Adrian is not suggesting to remove the functions yet, but it is > > > effectively the same thing to an outsider. A vendor or services provider > > > would have to modify kernel source to let their driver work again, which > > > is not technically challenging to kernel hackers, but frustrating > > > situation to be in as a vendor or customer. It creates a mess in > > > support, distribution, deployment, etc. > > > > The solution is simple: > > The vendor or services provider submits his driver for inclusion into > > the kernel which is the best solution for everyone. > > > > What if the driver is under development and doesn't work yet?
For a driver developer, it shouldn't be a big problem to re-add an EXPORT_SYMBOL or even to undo an #if 0 of a currently unused function.
> Lee
cu Adrian
--
"Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days. "Only a promise," Lao Er said. Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed
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