linux-kernel - Re: [PATCH 00/21] lib: add alternatives for GENMASK()

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Message-ID: <3fbe9674-bc06-430d-8702-74d9dd9c3cb0@p183>
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 2025 21:01:37 +0300
From: Alexey Dobriyan <adobriyan@...il.com>
To: "Yury Norov (NVIDIA)" <yury.norov@...il.com>
Cc: Linus Walleij <linus.walleij@...aro.org>,
	Nicolas Frattaroli <nicolas.frattaroli@...labora.com>,
	Rasmus Villemoes <linux@...musvillemoes.dk>,
	linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH 00/21] lib: add alternatives for GENMASK()

> GENMASK(high, low) notation reflects a common pattern to describe
> hardware registers. However, out of drivers context it's confusing and
> error-prone. 
> 
> This series introduces alternatives for GENMASK():
> 
>  - BITS(low, high);

This is less bad (low bit then high), but in a perfect world high bit
should have been exclusive.

>  - FIRST_BITS(nbits);
>  - LAST_BITS(start);

Now it is 200% more confusing.