linux-kernel - x86_64 usability bug: Kconfig prompt without help text (was Re: sata & scsi suggestion for make menuconfig)

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Message-ID: <46EBFF5C.8090605@s5r6.in-berlin.de>
Date:	Sat, 15 Sep 2007 17:50:52 +0200
From:	Stefan Richter <stefanr@...6.in-berlin.de>
To:	Paul Rolland <rol@...917.net>
CC:	Andi Kleen <andi@...stfloor.org>, Vojtech Pavlik <vojtech@...e.cz>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: x86_64 usability bug: Kconfig prompt without help text (was Re: sata
 & scsi suggestion for make menuconfig)

I take the liberty to modify the CC list.

Paul Rolland wrote:
> Stefan Richter <stefanr@...6.in-berlin.de> wrote:
>> I assert that a Kconfig prompt (a visible Kconfig variable) _without_
>> help text is a bug.
> 
> Here is an example from 2.6.34-rc6 :
>  .config - Linux Kernel v2.6.23-rc6 Configuration
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>  +------------------------- Provide RTC interrupt -------------------------+ 
>  | There is no help available for this kernel option.                      |
>  | Symbol: HPET_EMULATE_RTC [=y]                                           |
>  | Prompt: Provide RTC interrupt                                           |
>  |   Defined at arch/x86_64/Kconfig:471                                    |
>  |   Depends on: HPET_TIMER && RTC=y                                       |
>  |   Location:                                                             |
>  |   -> Processor type and features |   

The same prompt existed in arch/i386/Kconfig without help text too but
it was later made invisible and automatic by pre-2.6.13 patch "remove
special HPET_EMULATE_RTC config option", commit
c91096d85c95c6b7fe8d7065e2aa6825e0bdaca9: "We had a user whose apps
weren't working correctly because his "rtc" wasn't working fully.  For
the sake of simplicity, it seems sensible to always enable HPET RTC
emulation."

  - So, which criteria influence whether HPET_EMULATE_RTC should be
    enabled on x86_64 or not?

  - In case that there is no compelling reason to disable it if its
    dependencies are satisfied, shouldn't it rather be invisible and
    automatic like on i386?
-- 
Stefan Richter
-=====-=-=== =--= -====
http://arcgraph.de/sr/
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