sk98lin: neuter and prepare for removal
Subsystems (3)
cover sk98lin: neuter and prepare for removal
These patches take steps towards removing sk98lin from the upstream kernel.
-- Remove sk98lin's MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE to avoid confusing userland tools about which driver to load;
-- Mark sk98lin as Obsolete in the MAINTAINERS file; and,
-- Add sk98lin to the feature-removal-schedule.txt file in the Documentation directory.
I accept the possibility that I may be jumping the gun on this. However, I think it is worth opening this discussion.
Patches to follow...
PATCH 1/3 sk98lin: remove MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE to avoid conflicts w/ skge
The skge driver claims support for the identical list of hardware supported by the in-kernel sk98lin driver. This can confuse userland tools which pick modules based on the PCI ID lists exported through MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE.
This patch removes the MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE line from sk98lin. The driver can still be loaded manually if necessary or desireable.
---
drivers/net/sk98lin/skge.c | 2 -- 1 files changed, 2 deletions(-)
drivers/net/sk98lin/skge.c +0 -2
@@ -5227,8 +5227,6 @@ static struct pci_device_id skge_pci_tbl { 0 } }; -MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE (pci, skge_pci_tbl); -static struct pci_driver skge_driver = { .name ="sk98lin" , .id_table = skge_pci_tbl,
PATCH 2/3 MAINTAINERS: mark the sk98lin driver as obsolete
The sk98lin and skge drivers cover the same set of hardware, and the skge driver enjoys community support. This patch marks the sk98lin driver as obsolete.
---
MAINTAINERS | 2 +- 1 files changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
MAINTAINERS +1 -1
@@ -1592,7 +1592,7 @@ M: [email protected] P: Ralph Roesler M: [email protected] W: http://www.syskonnect.com -S: Supported +S: Obsolete MAESTRO PCI SOUND DRIVERS P: Zach Brown
PATCH 3/3 Documentation: add sk98lin to the feature-removal-schedule
The sk98lin and skge drivers cover the same set of hardware, yet the sk98lin driver is barely maintained. This patch schedules sk98lin for removal early next year.
---
Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt | 9 +++++++++ 1 files changed, 9 insertions(+)
Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt +9 -0
@@ -95,3 +95,12 @@ Why: This interface has been obsoleted b to link against API-compatible library on top of libnfnetlink_queue instead of the current 'libipq'. Who: Harald Welte <[email protected]> + +--------------------------- + +What: sk98lin driver +When: April 2006 +Why: This driver has been essentially unmaintained for some time. + Internally it is a mess, and the original authors are unwilling to + correct it. Now the skge driver covers all the same hardware. +Who: John W. Linville <[email protected]>
Quoted 8 lines · John W. Linville
These patches take steps towards removing sk98lin from the upstream kernel.
-- Remove sk98lin's
MODULE_DEVICE_TABLEto avoid confusing userland tools about which driver to load;-- Mark sk98lin as Obsolete in the
MAINTAINERSfile; and,
Quoted 9 lines
-- Add sk98lin to the feature-removal-schedule.txt file in the Documentation directory.
I accept the possibility that I may be jumping the gun on this. However, I think it is worth opening this discussion.
Patches to follow...
I applaud the initiative, but this it is too premature to obsolete the existing driver. There may be lots of chip versions and other variables that make the existing driver a better choice. Maybe eepro100 is a better target
for removal right now.
Quoted 5 lines · Stephen Hemminger
Quoted 3 lines · John W. Linville
These patches take steps towards removing sk98lin from the upstream kernel.
Quoted 8 lines
Quoted 2 lines
-- Remove sk98lin's MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE to avoid confusing userland tools about which driver to load;I applaud the initiative, but this it is too premature to obsolete the existing driver. There may be lots of chip versions and other variables that make
the existing driver a better choice. Maybe eepro100 is a better target for removal right now.
That's cool...but I still think the first one (removing the MODULE_DEVICE_TABLE) is worthwhile. At least that gets more testers for skge.
What do you think?
John
Signature · 2 lines
John W. Linville [email protected]
Quoted 6 lines · John W. Linville
These patches take steps towards removing sk98lin from the upstream kernel.
-- Remove sk98lin's
MODULE_DEVICE_TABLEto avoid confusing userland tools about which driver to load;
Quoted 7 lines
-- Mark sk98lin as Obsolete in the
MAINTAINERSfile; and,-- Add sk98lin to the feature-removal-schedule.txt file in the Documentation directory.
I accept the possibility that I may be jumping the gun on this. However, I think it is worth opening this discussion.
I'll let Stephen make the call on this one (as he did...).
Jeff