Re: [PATCH v2 0/2] get_maintainer: stop sending every patch to LKML

[Weijie Yuan <wy@wyuan.org>]

On 2026-10-20 11:35:24 -0400, Konstantin Ryabitsev
<konstantin@linuxfoundation.org> wrote:

> LKML has become mostly a firehose of patches that are already going to a
> subsystem list. The reason is THE REST: it matches every file in the
> tree, so get_maintainer.pl adds linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org to every
> single patch. During the week of Oct 1-7, 2026:
> 
>   - LKML carried 13,641 messages (~1,950/day), 90% of which were also
>     sent to at least one other list;
>   - with ~2,100 subscribers, that is about 29 million deliveries per
>     week for LKML alone.
> 
> This issue came up during the 2026 Maintainer Summit and the consensus
> was that "always include linux-kernel for every patch" was never the
> intent.
> 
> This series makes THE REST a fallback as initially intended: it is only
> added for a file when no other matching MAINTAINERS section provides a
> mailing list that get_maintainer.pl would actually output for it.
> Patch 2 updates submitting-patches.rst, which currently tells submitters
> to send every patch to LKML.
> 
> Several v1 reviewers asked for a catch-all list that would keep carrying
> every patch for those who want to follow all kernel development. That
> is a worthwhile discussion, but it is separate from this series, which
> only restores THE REST to its original role.
> 
> Translation maintainers are Cc'd because the it_IT, ja_JP, sp_SP, zh_CN
> and zh_TW versions of submitting-patches.rst carry the same "send every
> patch to LKML" advice and will need a follow-up update once the English
> text is settled.

Thanks. Added to the todo list.