linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH] watchdog: only print critical log when the watchdog fails to be stopped

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Message-ID: <76cf411a-c68b-4839-a134-16f2df53f354@roeck-us.net>
Date: Tue, 4 Feb 2025 21:20:56 -0800
From: Guenter Roeck <linux@...ck-us.net>
To: "liuchao (CR)" <liuchao173@...wei.com>
Cc: caihe <caihe@...wei.com>,
 "linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org" <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
 "linux-watchdog@...r.kernel.org" <linux-watchdog@...r.kernel.org>,
 lixiaokeng <lixiaokeng@...wei.com>,
 "wim@...ux-watchdog.org" <wim@...ux-watchdog.org>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] watchdog: only print critical log when the watchdog fails
 to be stopped

On 2/4/25 20:28, Guenter Roeck wrote:

>>
>> User creates a process and echoes every time to ensure that the system is
>> normal, the process can be executed properly. Otherwise, the system reboots.
>> So the critical message keeps printing.
>>
>> Is it reasonable to change it to info level?
>>
> 
> No. The user needs to echo the magic character instead of "0".
> 

Actually, the underlying problem is that the user keeps closing
the watchdog device, which is not the intended use since the watchdog
is supposed to only run while the watchdog device is open. That is
why applications like watchdogd are normally used to manage and
control a watchdog.

The problem here is that the user insists in doing something wrong,
and you want the kernel to adjust to that wrong usage. In a sense,
this is like persistently driving above the speed limit, and instead
of paying the resulting fines (or reducing the speed), the user wants
the penalties to go away or to have them replaced with an informational
notice. That is not how it works, sorry.

If the user insists on their current approach, they will have to live
with the consequences.

Guenter