linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] Documentation: extend use case for EXPORT_SYMBOL

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Date:	Thu, 28 May 2015 22:00:09 -0700
From:	Christoph Hellwig <hch@...radead.org>
To:	"Luis R. Rodriguez" <mcgrof@...e.com>
Cc:	Al Viro <viro@...IV.linux.org.uk>,
	"Luis R. Rodriguez" <mcgrof@...not-panic.com>, corbet@....net,
	linux-doc@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	mingo@...e.hu, gnomes@...rguk.ukuu.org.uk,
	gregkh@...uxfoundation.org, jkosina@...e.cz, bhelgaas@...gle.com,
	linux-pci@...r.kernel.org, xen-devel@...ts.xenproject.org,
	bp@...e.de
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation: extend use case for EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL()

On Fri, May 29, 2015 at 01:10:44AM +0200, Luis R. Rodriguez wrote:
> Great, thanks. This seems to be in alignment with those who have all along said
> they've used EXPORT_SYMBOL() to mean what EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() users now use it
> for. Nevertheless -- maintainers should know that some stubborn developers use
> EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() for its technical merit should violators abuse those
> symbols.

FYI, I think the naming here is really unfortunate.  If if was named
EXPORT_SYMBOL_INTERNAL as just a kernel export for specific uses we'd
be much better off in being able to explain what it actually does.

Even better would e a system were we have specific export groups, e.g.
symbols would be "core" "mm", "vfs", or "legacy_hack_for_drm" and any
consumer would specificly declare which symbol they pull in.

This would have a couple advantages:

 - anyone adding an export needs to think hard into which category
   it falls, and think again if exporting really makes sense
 - it's reasy to review modules to see if they pull in anything
   unexpected.
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