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

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Date: Tue, 20 Feb 2024 13:40:34 +0000
From: Simon Horman <horms@...nel.org>
To: Oliver Hartkopp <socketcan@...tkopp.net>
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

On Mon, Feb 19, 2024 at 09:37:46PM +0100, Oliver Hartkopp wrote:
> 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?

Yes, That does seem useful to me.

> 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.

Likewise, that does sound like a good idea to me.