linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] (Re: regression tracking (Re: Linux 2.6.21))

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Date:	Sun, 17 Jun 2007 15:17:58 +0200
From:	"Michal Piotrowski" <michal.k.k.piotrowski@...il.com>
To:	"Adrian Bunk" <bunk@...sta.de>
Cc:	"Stefan Richter" <stefanr@...6.in-berlin.de>,
	"Oleg Verych" <olecom@...wer.upol.cz>,
	"Linus Torvalds" <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
	"Andi Kleen" <andi@...stfloor.org>,
	"Rafael J. Wysocki" <rjw@...k.pl>,
	"Diego Calleja" <diegocg@...il.com>,
	"Chuck Ebbert" <cebbert@...hat.com>,
	"Linux Kernel Mailing List" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	"Andrew Morton" <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] (Re: regression tracking (Re: Linux 2.6.21))

On 17/06/07, Adrian Bunk <bunk@...sta.de> wrote:
> On Sun, Jun 17, 2007 at 11:41:36AM +0200, Michal Piotrowski wrote:
> > Hi all,
> >
> > Adrian Bunk pisze:
> >> On Sat, Jun 16, 2007 at 02:23:25PM +0200, Stefan Richter wrote:
> >>> ...
> >>> [Adrian, I'm not saying "too few users run -rc kernels", I'm saying "too
> >>> few FireWire driver users run -rc kernels".]
> >> Getting more people testing -rc kernels might be possible, and I don't
> >> think it would be too hard. And not only FireWire would benefit from this,
> >> remember e.g. that at least 2 out of the last 5 kernels Linus released
> >> contained filesystem corruption regressions.
> >> The problem is that we aren't able to handle the many regression reports
> >> we get today, so asking for more testing and regression reports today
> >> would attack it at the wrong part of the chain.
> >> Additionally, every reported and unhandled regression will frustrate the
> >> reporter - never forget that we have _many_ unhandled bug reports
> >> (including but not limited to regression reports) where the submitter
> >> spent much time and energy in writing a good bug report.
> >> If we somehow gain the missing manpower for debugging regressions we can
> >> actively ask for more testing. Missing manpower (of people knowing some
> >> part of the kernel well) for debugging bug reports is IMHO the one big
> >> source of quality problems in the Linux kernel. If we get this solved,
> >> things like getting more testers for -rc kernels will become low hanging
> >> fruits.
> >
> > Adrian, I agree with _all_ your points.
> >
> > I bet that developers will hate me for this.
> >
> > Please consider for 2.6.23
>
> Fine with me, but:
>
> There are not so simple cases like big infrastructure patches with
> 20 other patches in the tree depending on it causing a regression, or
> even worse, a big infrastructure patch exposing a latent old bug in some
> completely different area of the kernel.

It is different case.

"If the patch introduces a new regression"

introduces != exposes an old bug

Removal of 20 patches will be painful, but sometimes you need to
"choose minor evil to prevent a greater one" [1].

> And we should be aware that reverting is only a workaround for the real
> problem which lies in our bug handling.
>
> > Regards,
> > Michal
> >...
>
> 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
>
>

Regards,
Michal

[1] the quote from "The Last Wish/Minor Evil" by Andrzej Sapkowski :)

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