linux-kernel - RE: [EXT] Re: [PATCH v2 00/43] wifi: nxpwifi: create nxpwifi to support iw61x

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Message-ID:
 <PA4PR04MB96384D3EAFABA0D4D6BD6A3DD13E2@PA4PR04MB9638.eurprd04.prod.outlook.com>
Date: Wed, 11 Dec 2024 03:52:43 +0000
From: David Lin <yu-hao.lin@....com>
To: Kalle Valo <kvalo@...nel.org>, Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@...gutronix.de>
CC: "linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org" <linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org>,
	"linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	"johannes@...solutions.net" <johannes@...solutions.net>,
	"briannorris@...omium.org" <briannorris@...omium.org>, "francesco@...cini.it"
	<francesco@...cini.it>, Pete Hsieh <tsung-hsien.hsieh@....com>, Chor Teck Law
	<chorteck.law@....com>, Jeff Chen <jeff.chen_1@....com>,
	"kernel@...gutronix.de" <kernel@...gutronix.de>
Subject: RE: [EXT] Re: [PATCH v2 00/43] wifi: nxpwifi: create nxpwifi to
 support iw61x

> From: Kalle Valo <kvalo@...nel.org>
> Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2024 3:49 PM
> To: Sascha Hauer <s.hauer@...gutronix.de>
> Cc: David Lin <yu-hao.lin@....com>; linux-wireless@...r.kernel.org;
> linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org; johannes@...solutions.net;
> briannorris@...omium.org; francesco@...cini.it; Pete Hsieh
> <tsung-hsien.hsieh@....com>; kernel@...gutronix.de
> Subject: [EXT] Re: [PATCH v2 00/43] wifi: nxpwifi: create nxpwifi to support
> iw61x
> 
> >
> > Honestly I don't think adding a new driver is a good ideai, given how
> > big wifi drivers are and how limited the review bandwidth is.
> >
> > What we'll end up with is that we'll receive the same patches for both
> > drivers, or worse, only for one driver while the other stays unpatched.
> >
> > I even found some of the bugs and deficiencies I am just fixing for
> > the mwifiex driver in the nxpwifi driver as well. So please direct
> > your effort to improving the existing driver rather than putting more
> > burden to the maintainers by adding a new driver. I am sure this is
> > the faster path to get the necessary changes upstream, plus users of
> > the mwifiex driver will profit from these changes as well.
> >
> > Of course I don't have to decide this. The wifi maintainer(s) will
> > have the final word, but these are my 2 cents on this topic.
> 
> Replying to an old mail but I'm with Sascha here and I'm also skeptic about
> adding a new driver. Especially my worry is that after the driver is accepted we
> will not hear from NXP anymore and the community has two almost identical
> drivers to maintain. There have been cases that after taking the driver the
> company disappears and we (the community) are left maintaining the
> abandoned driver.
> 
> Also I have not seen any convincing reasons why a new driver is needed.
> For me much better approach would be to extend mwifiex like Sascha
> recommends.
> 

We understand NXP had left mwifiex unattended for some time, which has caused a lot of concern and trouble for the community. 
We hope to address the concerns by clarifying that the NXP driver strategy is to contribute and maintain both mwifiex and nxpwifi
drivers until such time only a single nxpwifi driver is required.
Our approach:

*	Maintain existing (up to IW416) chips in mwifiex
*	NXP will actively participate in mwifiex driver to address bug fixes and review patch contributions
*	Support new chipset introduction with nxpwifi
*	Starting from IW61x, new chips will be supported in nxpwifi only
*	NXP is committed to be the maintainer of nxpwifi, and we have long term maintenance plan in place including regular QA,
    bug fixes and feature enhancement
*	We are open to have discussions of any weaknesses in driver architecture for purpose of enhancing the driver 
*	Keep mwifiex driver in "Odd fixes" state without impact by new devices 

The above is an effort to address the community's concerns about NXP's commitment to nxpwifi and stakeholder collaboration. 

We look forward to your feedback so we can move forward.

> --
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