Re: [2.6 patch] ieee1394_core.c: remove unneeded EXPORT_SYMBOL's

From: Adrian Bunk (bunk_at_stusta.de)
Date: 12/21/04

  • Next message: Douglas J Hunley: "compiling 2.6.9 on FC3 bombs out" 
    Date:	Tue, 21 Dec 2004 00:02:22 +0100
To: Lee Revell <rlrevell@joe-job.com>

    On Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 05:58:06PM -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
    > On Mon, 2004-12-20 at 23:53 +0100, Adrian Bunk wrote:
    > > On Sun, Dec 19, 2004 at 11:27:50PM -0500, Dan Dennedy wrote:
    > > > On Sun, 2004-12-19 at 21:42 -0500, Lee Revell wrote:
    > > > > What do you tell a vendor who wants to write a driver for their device?
    > > > > "OK, about half the functions you need are in the kernel, the other half
    > > > > you have to port from this old kernel because we removed them. Maybe we
    > > > > will put them back if we really like your driver"?
    > > >
    > > > While I think some of Adrian's points are valid, I am exercising caution
    > > > because I am a new maintainer for linux1394 (although not new to the
    > > > project in general). This is an interface version management issue IMHO.
    > > > Adrian is not suggesting to remove the functions yet, but it is
    > > > effectively the same thing to an outsider. A vendor or services provider
    > > > would have to modify kernel source to let their driver work again, which
    > > > is not technically challenging to kernel hackers, but frustrating
    > > > situation to be in as a vendor or customer. It creates a mess in
    > > > support, distribution, deployment, etc.
    > >
    > > The solution is simple:
    > > The vendor or services provider submits his driver for inclusion into
    > > the kernel which is the best solution for everyone.
    > >
    >
    > What if the driver is under development and doesn't work yet?

    For a driver developer, it shouldn't be a big problem to re-add an
    EXPORT_SYMBOL or even to undo an #if 0 of a currently unused function.

    > Lee

    cu
    Adrian 

    -- 
       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed
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