Re: [PATCH v4 6/6] MAINTAINERS: add entry for the RTL8723B rtw88 driver

["Luka Gejak" <luka.gejak@linux.dev>]

September 29, 2026 at 08:36, "Luka Gejak" <luka.gejak@linux.dev mailto:luka.gejak@linux.dev?to=%22Luka%20Gejak%22%20%3Cluka.gejak%40linux.dev%3E > wrote:


> 
> September 29, 2026 at 03:15, "Ping-Ke Shih" <pkshih@realtek.com mailto:pkshih@realtek.com?to=%22Ping-Ke%20Shih%22%20%3Cpkshih%40realtek.com%3E > wrote:
> 
> > 
> > Luka Gejak <luka.gejak@linux.dev> wrote:
> >  
> >  
> >  On Thu Sep 24, 2026 at 3:24 AM CEST, Ping-Ke Shih wrote:
> >  Luka Gejak <luka.gejak@linux.dev> wrote:
> >  
> >  [...]
> >  
> >  +REALTEK RTL8723B WIRELESS DRIVER (rtw88)
> >  +M: Luka Gejak <luka.gejak@linux.dev>
> >  +L: linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org
> >  +S: Maintained
> >  +F: drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtw8723b*.c
> >  +F: drivers/net/wireless/realtek/rtw88/rtw8723b*.h
> >  +
> >  
> >  I think no need this entry.
> >  
> >  Just with below 'R', the ./scripts/get_maintainer.pl with rtw88 patch can
> >  output your name, no?
> >  
> >  REALTEK WIRELESS DRIVER (rtw88)
> >  M: Ping-Ke Shih <pkshih@realtek.com>
> >  +R: Luka Gejak <luka.gejak@linux.dev>
> >  L: linux-wireless@vger.kernel.org
> >  S: Maintained
> >  T: git https://github.com/pkshih/rtw.git
> >  --
> >  2.55.0
> >  
> >  By the way, your patch should tag rtw-next (i.e. [PATCH v5 rtw-next]).
> >  Otherwise, NIPA test your patches on wireless-next tree, reporting
> >  errors [1].
> >  
> >  I don't know if someone is reading your patches. I'd skip v4.
> >  Please wait a while and send v5.
> >  
> >  [1] https://patchwork.kernel.org/user/todo/linux-wireless/?series=1172592
> >  
> >  Thank you. I will hold and send v5 tagged [PATCH v5 rtw-next], and I am
> >  reading the list in the meantime.
> >  
> >  On the entry: it is a maintainer entry for one driver, which is not the
> >  same thing as the reviewer line. The file's legend:
> >  
> >  M: *Mail* patches to: FullName <address@domain>
> >  R: Designated *Reviewer*: FullName <address@domain>
> >  These reviewers should be CCed on patches.
> >  
> >  The names it reports them under are "maintainer:" and "reviewer:":
> >  get_maintainer gives the M: role the first and pushes R: entries as the
> >  second. With R: alone the entry says my name should be CCed on RTL8723B
> >  patches, which is correct, and I have kept that line, but it does not
> >  say that anyone is expected to look after the chip.
> >  
> >  Documentation/maintainer/feature-and-driver-maintainers.rst covers
> >  exactly this case, a maintainer for one driver inside a larger
> >  subsystem:
> >  
> >  - "The term maintainer spans a very wide range of levels of
> >  engagement ... to people responsible for a small feature or a
> >  driver";
> >  - "Drivers and alike most often do not have their own mailing lists
> >  and git trees but instead send and review patches on the list of a
> >  larger subsystem" - which is why the entry deliberately has no T:
> >  line and patches keep going through rtw-next;
> >  - "Maintainers must review *all* patches touching exclusively their
> >  drivers, no matter how trivial" and "an Acked-by or Reviewed-by tag
> >  ... from a single maintainer is enough to satisfy this
> >  requirement" - an Acked-by on the list for 8723b patches is the
> >  role I am asking for, not a tree of my own;
> >  - "Most natural and common choice of a maintainer is the author of
> >  the code", and the file "is not a list of credits ... it is a list
> >  of those who will actively help with the code".
> >  
> >  I know that least one person(with my help) is working on an RTL8723BE (PCIe)
> >  build and I expect an RTL8723BU (USB) to be added eventually. rtw8723b*.c and
> >  rtw8723b*.h already cover all three variants, so the family has one named
> >  owner as it grows, and those patches do not all have to reach you first.
> >  
> >  It is not a claim on rtw88. The patterns cover rtw8723b*.c and
> >  rtw8723b*.h only. Nothing else in the directory changes: get_maintainer
> >  on reg.h returns you as maintainer and me as reviewer whether the
> >  section is present or not, and the R: line you suggested is what puts me
> >  on those patches.
> >  
> >  The nesting is not new: the ath family keeps separate entries for ath5k,
> >  ath9k, ath10k and carl9170 inside ATHEROS ATH GENERIC UTILITIES, whose
> >  F: is drivers/net/wireless/ath/* and whose M: is Jeff Johnson, and ath5k
> >  and carl9170 carry M: with no T: line, as this one would.
> >  
> >  Is this a good example to your case? Jeff is the maintainer of all ath drivers.
> > 
> I meant him as an example of nested maintainer, I didn't focus
> on the size of code he is maintaining. But I will drop M as you
> requested.
> 
> > 
> > This is about the one chip I have the hardware for, not a proposal to
> >  split the other rtw88 chips out of your entry.
> >  
> >  checkpatch --strict on the MAINTAINERS patch is 0 errors, 0 warnings.
> >  
> >  If you would still rather keep it to the R: line, say so and the
> >  section goes, it is one patch, and it should not hold up the series,
> >  but please take these points into account.
> >  
> >  As I mentioned earlier, I suggested to subscribe mailing list and review
> >  rtw88 patches (I read your limitation, but I think it is easier to find
> >  an alternative way, no?). 
> >  
> >  As you replied [1], I suppose you have subscribed the list, right?
> > 
> Yes, I have setup lei(just need a little bit of configuring).
> 
> > 
> > I still think 'R' is enough. With your subscription of mailing list,
> > 
> I understand and respect your decision.
> 
> > 
> > I even think we can drop this patch, no need to update MAINTAINERS.
> > 
> I little confused, as this conflicts past emails and this above.

I *am little...

So how would you like to proceed?

> 
> > 
> > Bitterblue Smith you Cc'd is a main contributor of WiFi drivers (not
> >  limit to Realtek). I don't see any difficult to him to review and 
> >  contribute patches. (If I miss something, please correct me, Bitterblue).
> >  Anyway, I want to see people really contribute community and then
> >  add their names, not reverse way. I don't like to clean MAINTAINERS
> >  sometime.
> >  
> >  [1] https://lore.kernel.org/linux-wireless/20260926180007.28030-1-luka.gejak@linux.dev/#t
> >  
> >  Ping-Ke
> > 
> Best regards,
> Luka Gejak
>