From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1031003AbWKOWZh (ORCPT ); Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:25:37 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1031004AbWKOWZh (ORCPT ); Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:25:37 -0500 Received: from pentafluge.infradead.org ([213.146.154.40]:15568 "EHLO pentafluge.infradead.org") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1031003AbWKOWZg (ORCPT ); Wed, 15 Nov 2006 17:25:36 -0500 Subject: Re: [RFCLUE3] flagging kernel interface changes From: Arjan van de Ven To: William D Waddington Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org In-Reply-To: <455B9133.9030704@beezmo.com> References: <455B9133.9030704@beezmo.com> Content-Type: text/plain Organization: Intel International BV Date: Wed, 15 Nov 2006 23:25:33 +0100 Message-Id: <1163629533.31358.168.camel@laptopd505.fenrus.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Mailer: Evolution 2.8.1.1 (2.8.1.1-3.fc6) Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-SRS-Rewrite: SMTP reverse-path rewritten from by pentafluge.infradead.org See http://www.infradead.org/rpr.html Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org > I don't want to start an argument about "stable_api_nonsense" or the > wisdom of out-of-tree drivers. Just curious about the - why - and > whether it is indifference or antagonism toward drivers outside the > fold. Or ??? Hi, in general the best approach has been to make the driver support the NEW interface, and then do some compat thing to fake the old one. The other way around is going to be MUCH more painful long term. So as general rule: always follow the latest API, and use a compat.h hack for older kernels inside your driver, but keep the normal code clean. It's not always easy, but keeping old API and faking it to the new one is only going to be really really painful; things will deviate more and more over time and at some point you'll have to jump anyway. In addition quite a few api changes are done in a way that make this less painful than the other way around.. however in general really there is pain to be out-of-tree; and to some degree that's an incentive to merge back :) > - > if you want to mail me at work (you don't), use arjan (at) linux.intel.com > Test the interaction between Linux and your BIOS via http://www.linuxfirmwarekit.org