linux-kernel - Re: + x86-implement-pte_special.patch added to -mm tree

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Date:	Tue, 3 Jun 2008 17:53:22 +0200
From:	"Vegard Nossum" <vegard.nossum@...il.com>
To:	npiggin@...e.de, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Cc:	mm-commits@...r.kernel.org, andi@...stfloor.org, apw@...dowen.org,
	jens.axboe@...cle.com, mingo@...e.hu, pbadari@...ibm.com,
	shaggy@...tin.ibm.com, tglx@...utronix.de, zach.brown@...cle.com
Subject: Re: + x86-implement-pte_special.patch added to -mm tree

On 6/3/08, akpm@...ux-foundation.org <akpm@...ux-foundation.org> wrote:
>
>  The patch titled
>      x86: implement pte_special
>  has been added to the -mm tree.  Its filename is
>      x86-implement-pte_special.patch

...

>  ------------------------------------------------------
>  Subject: x86: implement pte_special
>  From: Nick Piggin <npiggin@...e.de>
>
>  Implement the pte_special bit for x86.  This is required to support
>  lockless get_user_pages, because we need to know whether or not we can
>  refcount a particular page given only its pte (and no vma).

Wait... what the heck is a "special" page? Isn't that a terrible name
for _anything_? Or is there a tradition to the name? It sounds like it
should be named "novma" or "autonomous" or something instead.
Something that carries at least a little more information than
"special". Where can I find the documentation for this bit?

Has this been discussed on LKML? Is the name a result of consensus or whim?

Help! :-)


Vegard

-- 
"The animistic metaphor of the bug that maliciously sneaked in while
the programmer was not looking is intellectually dishonest as it
disguises that the error is the programmer's own creation."
	-- E. W. Dijkstra, EWD1036
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