linux-kernel - Re: [RFC PATCH] feature-removal: add documentation for exported symbols going away

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Date:	Thu, 14 Feb 2008 00:55:43 +0200
From:	Adrian Bunk <bunk@...nel.org>
To:	Harvey Harrison <harvey.harrison@...il.com>
Cc:	Andrew Morton <akpm@...ux-foundation.org>,
	Linus Torvalds <torvalds@...ux-foundation.org>,
	David Miller <davem@...emloft.net>,
	Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>,
	Pavel Emelyanov <xemul@...nvz.org>,
	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>
Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH] feature-removal: add documentation for exported
	symbols going away

On Wed, Feb 13, 2008 at 02:42:30PM -0800, Harvey Harrison wrote:
> On Thu, 2008-02-14 at 00:34 +0200, Adrian Bunk wrote:
> > On Wed, Feb 13, 2008 at 02:22:06PM -0800, Harvey Harrison wrote:
> > > +
> > > +What:	__inet_hash_connect
> > > +Where:	net/ipv4/inet_hashtables.c
> > > +When:	2.6.28
> > > +Why:	No in tree users
> > > +
> > > +---------------------------
> > > +
> > > +What:	io_delay_type
> > > +Where:	arch/x86/kernel/io_delay.c
> > > +When:	2.6.28
> > > +Why:	No in tree users
> > > +
> > > +---------------------------
> > >...
> > 
> > NAK.
> > 
> > It's a well-known and documented fact that we not have a stable API for 
> > modules.
> > 
> > And as long as we anyway break the modules API in so many other cases 
> > with each kernel release there's simply no point in not removing exports 
> > immediately.
> > 
> > Oh, and for increasing the amount of nonsense even further, you should 
> > explain why unused exports that just sneaked into 2.6.25-rc1 must be 
> > shipped in 4 stable kernels before they can be removed.
> 
> Without comment on the validity of the exports themselves, I was more
> interested in the principle of announcing these removals, and if it
> was wanted.

Sorry again for being too harsh (see my other email).

Every kernel release has a big amount of API changes that have not been 
announced previously, and that's a fact that is rooted in the kernel
development model.

Otherwise everyone also had to announce now if he wanted to e.g. change 
a function prototype or a struct in 2.6.28.

> Cheers,
> 
> Harvey

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

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