linux-kernel - Re: why network devices don't do reference counting? (Re: [PATCH] Module use count must be updated as bridges are created/destroyed)

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Date:	Wed, 26 Sep 2007 14:06:08 -0700
From:	Stephen Hemminger <shemminger@...ux-foundation.org>
To:	Oleg Verych <olecom@...wer.upol.cz>
Cc:	"Jan Beulich" <jbeulich@...ell.com>,
	<bridge@...ts.linux-foundation.org>, <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: why network devices don't do reference counting? (Re: [PATCH]
 Module use count must be updated as bridges are created/destroyed)

On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 23:06:53 +0200
Oleg Verych <olecom@...wer.upol.cz> wrote:

> * Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:37:05 -0700
> * Organization: Linux Foundation
> >
> > On Wed, 26 Sep 2007 08:53:27 +0100
> > "Jan Beulich" <jbeulich@...ell.com> wrote:
> >
> >> Otherwise 'modprobe -r' on a module having a dependency on bridge will
> >> implicitly unload bridge, bringing down all connectivity that was
> >> using bridges.
> >> 
> >> Signed-off-by: Jan Beulich <jbeulich@...ell.com>
> >>
> >
> > No, network devices don't do reference counting.
> 
> Could you explain why, please?
> 
> After `udevd` on boot loads lots of unused crap, i surrendered, and use
> $(rmmod `lsmod | just first column`). Networing bravely wipes away. OK,
> there are lots of configs: udev, hotplug, modprobe, that somebody might
> like to fix. But it came to the end with me. I just don't care. So,
> please answer :)
> ____

For hotplug and other reasons, the network developers decided that being
able to remove a network module at any time was a good thing. It works.

-- 
Stephen Hemminger <shemminger@...ux-foundation.org>
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