linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] can: softing: remove redundant NULL check

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Date: Mon, 19 Feb 2024 21:37:46 +0100
From: Oliver Hartkopp <socketcan@...tkopp.net>
To: Simon Horman <horms@...nel.org>
Cc: Daniil Dulov <d.dulov@...ddin.ru>, Wolfgang Grandegger
 <wg@...ndegger.com>, Marc Kleine-Budde <mkl@...gutronix.de>,
 "David S. Miller" <davem@...emloft.net>, Jakub Kicinski <kuba@...nel.org>,
 Kurt Van Dijck <dev.kurt@...dijck-laurijssen.be>, linux-can@...r.kernel.org,
 netdev@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
 lvc-project@...uxtesting.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH] can: softing: remove redundant NULL check

Hi Simon,

On 2024-02-19 18:00, Simon Horman wrote:
> On Fri, Feb 16, 2024 at 08:47:43PM +0100, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
>> Hi Simon,
>>
>> I have a general question on the "Fixes:" tag in this patch:
>>
>> On 16.02.24 18:27, Simon Horman wrote:
>>> On Sun, Feb 11, 2024 at 07:05:35AM -0800, Daniil Dulov wrote:
>>>> In this case dev cannot be NULL, so remove redundant check.
>>>>
>>>> Found by Linux Verification Center (linuxtesting.org) with SVACE.
>>>>
>>>> Fixes: 03fd3cf5a179 ("can: add driver for Softing card")
>>
>> IMHO this is simply an improvement which is done by all patches applied to
>> the kernel but it does not really "fix" anything from a functional
>> standpoint.
>>
>> Shouldn't we either invent a new tag or better leave it out to not confuse
>> the stable maintainers?
> 
> Hi Oliver,
> 
> sorry for missing that in my review.
> 
> Yes, I agree that this is probably not a fix, for which my
> rule of thumb is something that addresses a user-visible problem.
> So I agree it should not have a fixes tag.
> 
> I would suggest that we can just change the text to something that
> has no tag. Something like:
> 
> ...
> 
> Introduced by 03fd3cf5a179 ("can: add driver for Softing card")
> 

Yes, but the "Introduced-by:" tag would be an optional tag for people 
that like blaming others, right?

IMHO we should think about completely removing the "Fixes:" tag, when it 
has no user-visible effect that might be a candidate for stable kernels. 
It is common improvement work. And it has been so for years.

Best regards,
Oliver