linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 0/3] x86: add cpuset

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Message-Id: <20080402053949.8f71b31d.pj@sgi.com>
Date:	Wed, 2 Apr 2008 05:39:49 -0500
From:	Paul Jackson <pj@....com>
To:	Mike Travis <travis@....com>
Cc:	mingo@...e.hu, tglx@...utronix.de, hpa@...or.com,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 0/3] x86: add cpuset_scnprintf function

Mike wrote:
> I wanted to not break current apps unmercifully, but perhaps I should
> default it to the "non-compatible" mode (and adjust the schedstat version
> to indicate this)?  [It's the only output that I found that seemed to care.]

It doesn't matter which way you set the default.  My concerns apply
either way.  I don't think your reply addressed my concerns.

> I know if I'm a user and I'm really interested in understanding
> the outputs when there's hundreds and hundreds of cpus, then the
> more compact format is much more useful.

That's not sufficient reason to change an API visible across the
kernel-user boundary.

> Plus I was under the impression that one of the basic tenets of Linux
> was that API's can and will change?

Kernel internals have a relatively lower barrier to API changes.

Kernel API's visible to kernel drivers or loadable modules have a
higher barrier to change.

Kernel API's visible to user space, such as this one, have a much
higher barrier to incompatible change.

I hesitate to NAQ patches because I strike out more often than someone
like Al Viro.  But I'm getting tempted on this one.

Perhaps you could write yourself a user utility that scanned its input
for masks in legacy format, converted them to list format, and passed
all else unscathed?

-- 
                  I won't rest till it's the best ...
                  Programmer, Linux Scalability
                  Paul Jackson <pj@....com> 1.940.382.4214
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