netdev - Re: net-PA Semi: Deletion of unnecessary checks before the function call "pci_dev

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Message-ID: <547BC5AD.6090500@users.sourceforge.net>
Date:	Mon, 01 Dec 2014 02:34:37 +0100
From:	SF Markus Elfring <elfring@...rs.sourceforge.net>
To:	Lino Sanfilippo <LinoSanfilippo@....de>,
	Olof Johansson <olof@...om.net>, netdev@...r.kernel.org,
	backports@...r.kernel.org
CC:	LKML <linux-kernel@...r.kernel.org>,
	kernel-janitors@...r.kernel.org,
	Julia Lawall <julia.lawall@...6.fr>,
	"Luis R. Rodriguez" <mcgrof@...e.com>
Subject: Re: net-PA Semi: Deletion of unnecessary checks before the function
 call "pci_dev_put"

> I know there has been some criticism about those kind of "code
> improvements" already but i would like to point out just one more thing:
> 
> Some of those NULL pointer checks on input parameters may have been
> added subsequently to functions. So there may be older kernel versions
> out there in which those checks dont exists in some cases. If some of
> the now "cleaned up" code is backported to such a kernel chances are
> good that those missing checks are overseen. And then neither caller nor
> callee is doing the NULL pointer check.

I guess that the Coccinelle software can also help you in this use case.
How do you think about to shield against "unwanted" or unexpected collateral
evolutions with additional inline functions?

I assume that a few backporters can tell you more about their corresponding
software development experiences.
http://www.do-not-panic.com/2014/04/automatic-linux-kernel-backporting-with-coccinelle.html

Regards,
Markus
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