linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 1/2] x86: Add getter/setter static inlines for x86 descriptors

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Message-ID: <49CFE7E0.80500@zytor.com>
Date:	Sun, 29 Mar 2009 14:28:00 -0700
From:	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
To:	Joe Damato <ice799@...il.com>
CC:	linux-x86_64@...r.kernel.org, w@....eu, mingo@...e.hu,
	jeremy@...p.org, linux-newbie@...r.kernel.org,
	kernel-janitors@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 1/2] x86: Add getter/setter static inlines for x86 descriptors

Joe Damato wrote:
> Static inline getters/setters have been provided to encourage consumers not to touch the internals of 32bit x86 descriptors directly.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Joe Damato <ice799@...il.com>

Okay, what is the motivation for this?

This is a serious question.  The x86 descriptors are so complex that
it's not clear to me that this restriction makes the code any more
clear.  Especially not with things like:

-		cpu->arch.gdt[i].b |= 0x00000100;
+		desc_set_hi(tmp,  desc_get_hi(tmp) | 0x00000100);

This isn't an improvement.  If you're doing to so something like this,
you need to actually implement the *intent* here.

	-hpa

-- 
H. Peter Anvin, Intel Open Source Technology Center
I work for Intel.  I don't speak on their behalf.

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