linux-kernel - Re: [RFC PATCH 0/5] Removal of a few obsolete input drivers

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Message-ID: <Zro8fpgvqa74aki4@google.com>
Date: Mon, 12 Aug 2024 09:46:54 -0700
From: Dmitry Torokhov <dmitry.torokhov@...il.com>
To: "Maciej W. Rozycki" <macro@...am.me.uk>
Cc: linux-input@...r.kernel.org, linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org,
	Vojtech Pavlik <vojtech@....cz>, Jiri Kosina <jikos@...nel.org>,
	Benjamin Tissoires <bentiss@...nel.org>
Subject: Re: [RFC PATCH 0/5] Removal of a few obsolete input drivers

On Mon, Aug 12, 2024 at 02:53:30PM +0100, Maciej W. Rozycki wrote:
> On Sun, 11 Aug 2024, Dmitry Torokhov wrote:
> 
> > > > I am wondering if it is not the time to retire bus mice drivers since
> > > > they have been out of favor for close to 30 years, as well as 3 drivers
> > > > for portables from late '90s to early 2000.
> > > 
> > >  Are these drivers broken, e.g. fail to compile or crash the system?  
> > 
> > I have no idea because I doubt that anyone has tested them since
> > forever.
> 
>  What's the rationale for your conclusion?  How do you know nobody uses 
> them?

Because they are either require ISA add-on cards and it is quite hard to
find devices that still work, and are supported by the current kernel,
or internal peripherals in devices that are no longer useful. Do you
expect anyone using "Gateway AOL Connected Touchpad" in the year of our
Lord 2024?

> 
> > > Otherwise what's the gain from removal?
> > 
> > The same gain that we get from removing obsolete boards and
> > architectures - less maintenance burden, less work when we need to
> > change some APIs, less energy burnt by 0-day and other bots, CI systems,
> > etc, compiling useless drivers over and over and over.
> 
>  Well, you don't have do do anything about these drivers, do you?  They 
> don't scream for food.  And as to the energy, well I doubt this really 
> matters, the amount is noise lost in the overall consumption.

I kind of do even if they did not require much involvement.

Let me ask this: why do you want to keep them? Do you know of a large
(or small) userbase of bus mice enthusiasts? Note that it would be very
easy to "git revert" the removal if someone actually needs this.

Thanks.

-- 
Dmitry