linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH v12 00/18] Enable FSGSBASE instructions

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Message-ID: <e9a0a521-104b-5c3a-a689-78f878e73d31@cs.unc.edu>
Date:   Thu, 28 May 2020 13:40:16 -0400
From:   Don Porter <porter@...unc.edu>
To:     Thomas Gleixner <tglx@...utronix.de>,
        Jarkko Sakkinen <jarkko.sakkinen@...ux.intel.com>
Cc:     Andi Kleen <ak@...ux.intel.com>, Sasha Levin <sashal@...nel.org>,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, bp@...en8.de, luto@...nel.org,
        hpa@...or.com, dave.hansen@...el.com, tony.luck@...el.com,
        ravi.v.shankar@...el.com, chang.seok.bae@...el.com
Subject: Re: [PATCH v12 00/18] Enable FSGSBASE instructions

Hi Thomas,

On 5/28/20 6:29 AM, Thomas Gleixner wrote:
>> Until recently, we were doing proof-of-concept research, not product
>> development, and there are limited hours in the day.  I also hasten to
>> say that the product of research is an article, the software artifact
>> serves as documentation of the experiment.  In contrast, the product of
>> software development is software.  It takes significant time and effort
>> to convert one to the other.  Upstreaming code is of little scientific
>> interest.  But things have changed for our project; we had no users in
>> 2015 and we are now un-cutting corners that are appropriate for research
>> but inappropriate for production.  For a research artifact with an
>> audience that knew the risks, we shipped a module because it was easier
>> to maintain and install than a kernel patch.
> 
> I understand that and with a big fat warning and documentation from
> start I wouldn't have complained so vehemently.

This is a fair point.  We will fix this ASAP, and I will be more careful 
about this going forward.

>
> Sorry for that innuendo. Now that my anger and general frustration about
> this whole disaster have calmed down, I surely would not write that
> again.

I appreciate you saying so.  Thank you.

I can also understand how frustrating the history was with this feature, 
and we missed an opportunity to help sooner.  There is a lot I still 
don't understand about the process of merging and testing patches in 
this community, but if it makes sense for us to help now, we would be 
willing.

-Don