Messages in this thread | | | Date | Wed, 15 Nov 2006 14:37:59 -0800 | From | William D Waddington <> | Subject | Re: [RFCLUE3] flagging kernel interface changes |
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Arjan van de Ven wrote: >> I don't want to start an argument about "stable_api_nonsense" or >> the wisdom of out-of-tree drivers. Just curious about the - why - >> and whether it is indifference or antagonism toward drivers outside >> the fold. Or ??? > > > Hi, > > in general the best approach has been to make the driver support the > NEW interface, and then do some compat thing to fake the old one. The > other way around is going to be MUCH more painful long term. So as > general rule: always follow the latest API, and use a compat.h hack > for older kernels inside your driver, but keep the normal code clean. > It's not always easy, but keeping old API and faking it to the new > one is only going to be really really painful; things will deviate > more and more over time and at some point you'll have to jump anyway.
Good point. I actually try to do it that way. Should have said
#ifndef NEW_INTERFACE ...
> In addition quite a few api changes are done in a way that make this > less painful than the other way around..
The other part of the question is why this irq_handler prototype change in 2.6.19 isn't flagged to make things a little easier.
> however in general really there is pain to be out-of-tree; and to > some degree that's an incentive to merge back :)
No argument, but I don't have the stamina to try to get my 10+ year old code out of the public domain and into the main line :)
Many thanks for your reply, Bill -- -------------------------------------------- William D Waddington Bainbridge Island, WA, USA william.waddington@beezmo.com -------------------------------------------- "Even bugs...are unexpected signposts on the long road of creativity..." - Ken Burtch - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/
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