linux-kernel - Re: net-PA Semi: Deletion of unnecessary checks before the function call "pci_dev

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Date:	Tue, 2 Dec 2014 21:35:09 +0300
From:	Dan Carpenter <dan.carpenter@...cle.com>
To:	Johannes Berg <johannes@...solutions.net>
Cc:	Julia Lawall <julia.lawall@...6.fr>,
	SF Markus Elfring <elfring@...rs.sourceforge.net>,
	Lino Sanfilippo <LinoSanfilippo@....de>,
	Olof Johansson <olof@...om.net>, netdev@...r.kernel.org,
	backports@...r.kernel.org, LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	kernel-janitors@...r.kernel.org,
	"Luis R. Rodriguez" <mcgrof@...e.com>
Subject: Re: net-PA Semi: Deletion of unnecessary checks before the function
 call "pci_dev_put"

On Tue, Dec 02, 2014 at 05:53:28PM +0100, Johannes Berg wrote:
> On Mon, 2014-12-01 at 21:34 +0100, Julia Lawall wrote:
> 
> > > So this kind of evolution is no problem for the (automated) backports
> > > using the backports project - although it can be difficult to detect
> > > such a thing is needed.
> > 
> > That is exactly the problem...
> 
> I'm not convinced though that it should stop such progress in mainline.

Is it progress?  These patches match the code look simpler by passing
hiding the NULL check inside a function call.  Calling pci_dev_put(NULL)
doesn't make sense.  Just because a sanity check exists doesn't mean we
should do insane things.

It's easy enough to store which functions have a sanity check in a
database, but to rememember all that as a human being trying to read the
code is impossible.

If we really wanted to make this code cleaner we would introduce more
error labels with better names.

regards,
dan carpenter

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