netdev - Re: [PATCH net-next v2] net: ethernet: neterion: s2io: remove unused driver

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Message-ID: <alpine.DEB.2.21.2601290525190.40317@angie.orcam.me.uk>
Date: Thu, 29 Jan 2026 13:44:44 +0000 (GMT)
From: "Maciej W. Rozycki" <macro@...am.me.uk>
To: Ethan Nelson-Moore <enelsonmoore@...il.com>
cc: Jakub Kicinski <kuba@...nel.org>, netdev@...r.kernel.org, 
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    Giovanni Cabiddu <giovanni.cabiddu@...el.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH net-next v2] net: ethernet: neterion: s2io: remove unused
 driver

On Wed, 28 Jan 2026, Ethan Nelson-Moore wrote:

> > We deleted the vxge which I think(?) was for a newer version of this HW
> > 3+ years ago and nobody complained.
> Yes, it was for the newer PCIe version of this hardware. Since no one
> complained about that (unlike when fealnx and sundance were removed
> and then restored on request), it's even less likely someone is using
> the PCI-X version. FWIW, 64-bit PCI and 66MHz PCI are even rarer than
> PCI-X, so there's basically no way to use this card with reasonable
> performance nowadays.

 Well, I have a system with 64-bit/66MHz 3.3V PCI slots, so I could use 
the network card right away if I had one (I prefer FDDI though, works 
nicely for my intranet).  Something being rare does not mean no one has a 
use for it.

> > > What's the gain from removing a driver unless say it's broken and
> > > does not build?
> It very well might be broken. When vxge was removed it emerged that
> someone had reported it as having last worked in 4.1 and broken
> somewhere between there and 4.4 - see:
> https://bugzilla.kernel.org/show_bug.cgi?id=197881

 Now, that's surely a good argument in favour to removal, although a 
single report might be too little, as it could be an odd combination of 
the system and the option rather than the driver being outright broken.
In any case I think it should be mentioned in the commit description.

  Maciej