Message-ID: <alpine.DEB.2.21.999.2407240345480.11116@utopia.booyaka.com>
Date: Wed, 24 Jul 2024 03:51:14 +0000 (UTC)
From: Paul Walmsley <paul@...an.com>
To: linux-pm@...r.kernel.org, linux-arm-kernel@...ts.infradead.org, 
    linux-omap@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org, 
    linux-mips@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Mourning the loss of Peter De Schrijver

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With an unspeakable sense of loss, I must sadly relate that Peter De
Schrijver (also known as p2 or p2mate) passed away two weeks ago.

Peter's overt contributions to the Linux kernel were primarily in
clock and power management on ARM SoCs.  Software he wrote or
co-developed set the foundation for modern Linux power management.
The SoC-specific code he wrote enabled millions of devices, many of
which are still in use today.  An incomplete list includes the Nokia
N900 and N9 Linux smartphones; an innumerable collection of OMAP- and
Tegra-based smartphones, tablets, E-readers, and development boards;
many Nest smart thermostats; and the Nintendo Switch.

Peter was a member of that rare class of engineer whose competence
transcends artificial boundaries.  He would regularly troubleshoot and
solve system-wide engineering problems that spanned the software,
digital hardware, and analog hardware domains.  I have fond
recollections of Peter tracking down an intermittent power
management-related glitch in the OMAP SDRAM controller.  This bug was
serious enough to halt production of devices containing the SoC.  the
SoC vendor itself could not find the bug.  Despite not having access
to the RTL, only being able to observe the problem as a black box,
Peter found it.

Despite his skill, Peter was never self-aggrandizing.  An ideal
collaborator, he was always willing to lend his powerful mind to think
through tricky problems that others, myself included, often struggled
with.

Peter loved the culture of free software.  He was a Debian Developer,
a regular presence at FOSDEM, and attended many demo parties and free
software meetups.  I came to realize that for him, this extended to a
deep philosophical commitment to the importance of transparent
engineering practices to the open societies that many of us still
enjoy.  Engineering system failures in the aerospace and energy fields
were regular topics of conversation.

Peter also knew how to enjoy life beyond engineering.  A evening with
friends at the pub with fine Belgian lambics was sacramental.  He
loved electronic music, loved to dance, and loved nature; and often
combined the three.  His same transcendence of artificial boundaries
in engineering extended to an open-minded approach towards life in
general.  He respected and was grateful for what his ancestors
bequeathed him.  In turn, he shared that pleasure, gratitude, and
knowledge with others.

As for me: I, like many others, have just lost a true and loyal
friend.  Peter was present for me when few others were.  The grief is
tempered with the joy of having known Peter during this lifetime, and
also, knowing the depth of the legacy he leaves behind.

A memorial web page is here: https://www.ingedachten.be/overlijdensberichten/overlijden-detail/12-07-2024/peter-de-schrijver


- - Paul

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