linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] improve the kernel quality and reduce the amount of BS patches

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Date:   Tue, 16 Aug 2022 19:29:31 -0700
From:   Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@...radead.org>
To:     Al Viro <viro@...iv.linux.org.uk>,
        Paul Lemmermann <thepaulodoom@...paulodoom.com>
Cc:     arnd@...db.de, gregkh@...uxfoundation.org,
        linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] improve the kernel quality and reduce the amount of BS
 patches



On 8/16/22 19:18, Al Viro wrote:
> On Wed, Aug 17, 2022 at 03:09:02AM +0100, Al Viro wrote:
>> this idiocy has gone too far    
>>
>> Signed-off-by: Al Viro <viro@...iv.linux.org.uk>
> 
> 	Seriously, folks - the stream of patches with no better
> explanations than "The Most Holy checkpatch.pl Says So, Must Appease
> The Spirits" ought to stop.
> 
> 	If you are changing something, take care to explain _why_
> is the change made.  Reference to a tool that has pointed you
> towards the location you are changing does not replace that.
> checkpatch.pl is a script.  A dumb one.  It's a bunch of heuristics
> that correlate with code being potentially fishy and worth looking
> into; those are occasionally useful, but it's not an oracle.

Yes, just saying "found with checkpatch" is not sufficient.

It's even documented to be a dumb advisor:

"""Checkpatch is not always right. Your judgement takes precedence over checkpatch
messages.  If your code looks better with the violations, then its probably
best left alone."""

and

"""Note, though, that the style checker should be
viewed as a guide, not as a replacement for human judgment."""


-- 
~Randy