linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 1/2] move host drivers for VLB IDE controllers to staging/out

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Date:	Tue, 02 Feb 2010 17:59:54 -0500
From:	Jeff Garzik <jeff@...zik.org>
To:	Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz <bzolnier@...il.com>
CC:	Alan Cox <alan@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk>, linux-ide@...r.kernel.org,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/2] move host drivers for VLB IDE controllers to staging/out

On 02/02/2010 04:22 PM, Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz wrote:
> On Tuesday 02 February 2010 07:00:41 pm Alan Cox wrote:
>> On Tue, 02 Feb 2010 18:27:08 +0100
>> Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz<bzolnier@...il.com>  wrote:
>>
>>> From: Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz<bzolnier@...il.com>
>>> Subject: [PATCH] move host drivers for VLB IDE controllers to staging/out
>>>
>>> - they are for really old hardware that nobody has any longer
>>> - they all require 'magic' parameters to work
>>> - many controllers are also supported by pata_legacy driver
>>>
>>> so move them to staging/out and schedule for removal in 2.6.36
>>> unless somebody steps in to work on them.
>>>
>>> Signed-off-by: Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz<bzolnier@...il.com>
>>
>> Acked-by: Alan Cox<alan@...ux.intel.com>
>>
>> When I actually tried some of the VLB bits while working on the
>> pata_legacy stuff it was clear these hadn't been maintained/used for a
>> very long time indeed. Most of them also are hacks doing stuff like fixed
>> mode settings.
>>
>> However if the point of the old IDE code was as claimed to keep it as a
>> 'stable' layer throwing chunks of it out doesn't strike me as in keeping
>> with the stated plan ...
>
> I've always been under the impression that the claim was about adding new
> stuff and not about removing dead code or ongoing efforts to make whole
> kernel more maintainable.  Either way, Dave would be a much better person
> to clarify it..

David's statements at the time were

	I'm going to treat IDE as pure legacy, rather than as
	competition with the PATA drivers which is what people whould
	be moving over to.

	And more importantly I refuse to apply any driver patch that
	isn't actually tested on said hardware.

"pure legacy" does not usually imply accepting major changes to drivers, 
changing APIs, and the like.

But if IDE users are happy with this abrupt change of direction, the 
resumption of frequent, large IDE changes, then that's their call...   I 
would rather they just use libata, but who am I to judge?  ;-)

	Jeff



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