linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] Shorten constant names for EFI variable attributes

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Message-ID: <5009DBEC.5050505@hp.com>
Date:	Fri, 20 Jul 2012 16:30:04 -0600
From:	Khalid Aziz <khalid.aziz@...com>
To:	"H. Peter Anvin" <hpa@...or.com>
CC:	mjg@...hat.com, mikew@...gle.com, tony.luck@...el.com,
	keescook@...omium.org, gong.chen@...ux.intel.com,
	gregkh@...uxfoundation.org, paul.gortmaker@...driver.com,
	maxin.john@...il.com, rdunlap@...otime.net, matt.fleming@...el.com,
	olof@...om.net, dhowells@...hat.com, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Shorten constant names for EFI variable attributes

On 07/20/2012 04:10 PM, H. Peter Anvin wrote:
> On 07/20/2012 03:08 PM, Khalid Aziz wrote:
>> Replace very long constants for EFI variable attributes
>> with shorter and more convenient names. Also create an
>> alias for the current longer names so as to not break
>> compatibility with current API since these constants
>> are used by userspace programs. This patch depends on
>> patch <https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/7/13/313>.
>
> I think these some from the EFI specifcation, so NAK IMO.
>
>     -hpa
>
This patch is based upon earlier discussion at 
<https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/7/13/320>.

You are right that EFI specification uses exactly these long names for 
the constants, but does that mean kernel must also use the exact same 
long constant names? I can see doing that for the sake of consistency. 
At the same time, can we make the kernel code more readable and retain 
compatibility with existing API by using aliases? I slightly prefer 
making kernel code more readable, but I could go either way.

-- 

Khalid Aziz
khalid.aziz@...com

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