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docs: stable-kernel-rules: fine-tuning and 'no semi-automatic backport'

PATCH Superseded Thorsten Leemhuis 3 participants 22 messages Apr 11, 2024

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#0 lore raw

cover docs: stable-kernel-rules: fine-tuning and 'no semi-automatic backport'

After a recent discussion regarding "do we need a 'nobackport' tag" I set out to create one change for stable-kernel-rules.rst. This is now the second patch in the series, which links to that discussion; the other stuff is fine-tuning that happened along the way.

Ciao, Thorsten

Thorsten Leemhuis (4):
docs: stable-kernel-rules: reduce redundancy
docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"
docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change
example
docs: stable-kernel-rules: remove code-labels tags

 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 50 +++++++------------
 1 file changed, 18 insertions(+), 32 deletions(-)

base-commit: 3f86ed6ec0b390c033eae7f9c487a3fea268e027

Signature · 1 line
2.44.0
#1 lore raw

PATCH 1/4 docs: stable-kernel-rules: reduce redundancy

Explain the general concept once in the intro to keep things somewhat shorter in the individual points.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 13 +++++--------
 1 file changed, 5 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +5 -8
index 41f1e07abfdfa7..7bb16d42a51833 100644
@@ -79,10 +79,9 @@ stable tree without anything else needing to be done by the author or
 subsystem maintainer.
 
 To sent additional instructions to the stable team, use a shell-style inline
-comment:
+comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
 
- * To specify any additional patch prerequisites for cherry picking use the
-   following format in the sign-off area:
+ * Specify any additional patch prerequisites for cherry picking:
 
    .. code-block:: none
 
@@ -101,8 +100,7 @@ comment:
      git cherry-pick fd21073
      git cherry-pick <this commit>
 
- * For patches that may have kernel version prerequisites specify them using
-   the following format in the sign-off area:
+ * Point out kernel version prerequisites:
 
    .. code-block:: none
 
@@ -119,14 +117,13 @@ comment:
    Note, such tagging is unnecessary if the stable team can derive the
    appropriate versions from Fixes: tags.
 
- * To delay pick up of patches, use the following format:
+ * Delay pick up of patches:
 
    .. code-block:: none
 
      Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
 
- * For any other requests, just add a note to the stable tag. This for example
-   can be used to point out known problems:
+ * Point out known problems:
 
    .. code-block:: none
 
Signature · 1 line
2.44.0
#3 lore raw

PATCH 2/4 docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

In reply to Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 6 ++++++
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +6 -0
index 7bb16d42a51833..ebd57cb9277f7b 100644
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
    Note, such tagging is unnecessary if the stable team can derive the
    appropriate versions from Fixes: tags.
 
+ * Prevent semi-automatic backporting of changes carrying a 'Fixes:' tag:
+
+   .. code-block:: none
+
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # no semi-automatic backport
+
  * Delay pick up of patches:
 
    .. code-block:: none
Signature · 1 line
2.44.0
#4 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 16 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 6 ++++++
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +0 -0
index 7bb16d42a51833..ebd57cb9277f7b 100644

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 124

Quoted 8 lines
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +5 -0
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
    Note, such tagging is unnecessary if the stable team can derive the
    appropriate versions from Fixes: tags.
 
+ * Prevent semi-automatic backporting of changes carrying a 'Fixes:' tag:
+
+   .. code-block:: none
+
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # no semi-automatic backport

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

And what do you mean by "semi-automatic"?

confused,

greg k-h

#5 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 20 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 19 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 6 ++++++
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +0 -0
index 7bb16d42a51833..ebd57cb9277f7b 100644
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
    Note, such tagging is unnecessary if the stable team can derive the
    appropriate versions from Fixes: tags.
 
Quoted 8 lines

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 124

Quoted 5 lines
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +5 -0
+ * Prevent semi-automatic backporting of changes carrying a 'Fixes:' tag:
+
+   .. code-block:: none
+
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # no semi-automatic backport

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

And that somehow felt wrong to me, as discussed earlier in
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

[1] e.g. if they don't have or want their whole subsystem marked as 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/stable-queue.git/tree/ignore_list

Quoted 1 line

And what do you mean by "semi-automatic"?

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Ciao, Thorsten

#6 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 30 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 20 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 19 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 6 ++++++
 1 file changed, 6 insertions(+)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +0 -0
index 7bb16d42a51833..ebd57cb9277f7b 100644
@@ -117,6 +117,12 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
    Note, such tagging is unnecessary if the stable team can derive the
    appropriate versions from Fixes: tags.
 
Quoted 8 lines

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 124

Quoted 5 lines
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +5 -0
+ * Prevent semi-automatic backporting of changes carrying a 'Fixes:' tag:
+
+   .. code-block:: none
+
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # no semi-automatic backport

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Quoted 4 lines

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

Quoted 11 lines

And that somehow felt wrong to me, as discussed earlier in
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

[1] e.g. if they don't have or want their whole subsystem marked as 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/stable-queue.git/tree/ignore_list

Quoted 1 line

And what do you mean by "semi-automatic"?

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

thanks,

greg k-h

#7 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 21 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 6 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 5 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

[...]

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 2 lines

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

[...]

Quoted 2 lines

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Quoted 8 lines

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

Totally fine with me, but that feels somewhat long and hard to type. How about just '[email protected]' (or '[email protected]')?

Ciao, Thorsten

#8 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 25 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 24 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 6 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 5 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

[...]

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 2 lines

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

[...]

Quoted 2 lines

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 5 lines

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

Totally fine with me, but that feels somewhat long and hard to type.

I want it long and hard to type and very very explicit that this is what the developer/maintainer wants to have happen (again, because this is such a rare occurrence.)

Quoted 2 lines

How
about just '[email protected]' (or '[email protected]')?

More words are better :)

thanks,

greg k-h

#9 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 34 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 25 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 24 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 6 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 5 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

[...]

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 2 lines

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

[...]

Quoted 2 lines

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 5 lines

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

Totally fine with me, but that feels somewhat long and hard to type.

Quoted 8 lines

I want it long and hard to type and very very explicit that this is what the developer/maintainer wants to have happen (again, because this is such a rare occurrence.)

Quoted 2 lines

How
about just '[email protected]' (or '[email protected]')?

More words are better :)

And after that, someone discovers this turns out to be (a hard dependency for) a very critical fix that does need backporting?

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,

Geert

Signature · 5 lines
Geert Uytterhoeven -- There's lots of Linux beyond ia32 -- [email protected]

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
                                -- Linus Torvalds
#10 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 40 lines · Geert Uytterhoeven
Quoted 38 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 25 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 24 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 6 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 5 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

[...]

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 2 lines

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

[...]

Quoted 2 lines

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 5 lines

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

Totally fine with me, but that feels somewhat long and hard to type.

I want it long and hard to type and very very explicit that this is what the developer/maintainer wants to have happen (again, because this is such a rare occurrence.)

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 4 lines
Quoted 2 lines

How
about just '[email protected]' (or '[email protected]')?

More words are better :)

And after that, someone discovers this turns out to be (a hard dependency for) a very critical fix that does need backporting?

Then we backport it and let the person know like always.

thanks,

greg k-h

#11 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

In reply to Geert Uytterhoeven
Quoted 40 lines · Geert Uytterhoeven
Quoted 38 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 25 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 24 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 6 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 5 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

[...]

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 2 lines

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

[...]

Quoted 2 lines

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 5 lines

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

Totally fine with me, but that feels somewhat long and hard to type.

I want it long and hard to type and very very explicit that this is what the developer/maintainer wants to have happen (again, because this is such a rare occurrence.)

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 4 lines
Quoted 2 lines

How
about just '[email protected]' (or '[email protected]')?

More words are better :)

And after that, someone discovers this turns out to be (a hard dependency for) a very critical fix that does need backporting?

Ask why the tag was set I guess. But yeah, that was among the minor reasons why I had come up with "no semiautomatic stable backport" thing, as it made the intention more clear. Maybe

[email protected]

could help and is even longer. But I might be getting into bikeshedding territory here. :-D

Ciao, Thorsten

Cioao, Thorsten

#12 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 2/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: mention "no semi-automatic backport"

Quoted 49 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 40 lines · Geert Uytterhoeven
Quoted 38 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 25 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 24 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 6 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 5 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Some developers deliberately steer clear of 'Fixes:' tags to prevent changes from being backported semi-automatically by the stable team. That somewhat undermines the reason for the existence of the Fixes: tag, hence point out there is an alternative to reach the same effect.

[...]

Quoted 6 lines
Quoted 2 lines

I do not understand, why are you saying "cc: stable" here if you do NOT want it backported?

Because the only alternative the developers have to make the stable team not pick a single patch[1] is to deliberately omit a Fixes: tag even if the patch normally should have one. Like it was done here:
https://lore.kernel.org/all/[email protected]/

That feels odd, but ok I now see the need for this for some minor set of changes (i.e. this has rarely come up in the past 15+ years)

[...]

Quoted 2 lines

E.g. 'ignore for the AUTOSEL and the "Fixes tag only" tools'. That was the best term I came up with.

Thinking about it more, I think we need to be much more explicit, and provide the reason why.

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 5 lines

How about:
cc: <[email protected]> # Reason goes here, and must be present

and we can make that address be routed to /dev/null just like <[email protected]> is?

Totally fine with me, but that feels somewhat long and hard to type.

I want it long and hard to type and very very explicit that this is what the developer/maintainer wants to have happen (again, because this is such a rare occurrence.)

Quoted 7 lines
Quoted 4 lines
Quoted 2 lines

How
about just '[email protected]' (or '[email protected]')?

More words are better :)

And after that, someone discovers this turns out to be (a hard dependency for) a very critical fix that does need backporting?

Quoted 8 lines

Ask why the tag was set I guess. But yeah, that was among the minor reasons why I had come up with "no semiautomatic stable backport" thing, as it made the intention more clear. Maybe

[email protected]

could help and is even longer. But I might be getting into bikeshedding territory here. :-D

That one would not work as I would then manually backport the commit :)

Actually, one can say that all of the commits are manually backported as I review them all that are cc: stable when I apply them. So while bikeshedding is fun, this would mean the opposite of what you intend.

thanks,

greg k-h

#13 lore raw

PATCH 3/4 docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

In reply to Thorsten Leemhuis

Fine-tuning:

* s/Linus' tree/Linux mainline/, as mainline is the term used elsewhere in the document.

* Provide a better example for the 'delayed backporting' case.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +2 -2
index ebd57cb9277f7b..3c05f39858c78a 100644
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Everything you ever wanted to know about Linux -stable releases
 Rules on what kind of patches are accepted, and which ones are not, into the
 "-stable" tree:
 
- - It or an equivalent fix must already exist in Linus' tree (upstream).
+ - It or an equivalent fix must already exist in Linux mainline (upstream).
  - It must be obviously correct and tested.
  - It cannot be bigger than 100 lines, with context.
  - It must follow the
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
 
    .. code-block:: none
 
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release
 
  * Point out known problems:
 
Signature · 1 line
2.44.0
#14 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 3/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

Quoted 26 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Fine-tuning:

* s/Linus' tree/Linux mainline/, as mainline is the term used elsewhere in the document.

* Provide a better example for the 'delayed backporting' case.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 4 ++--
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 2 deletions(-)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
index ebd57cb9277f7b..3c05f39858c78a 100644
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ Everything you ever wanted to know about Linux -stable releases
 Rules on what kind of patches are accepted, and which ones are not, into the
 "-stable" tree:
 
- - It or an equivalent fix must already exist in Linus' tree (upstream).
+ - It or an equivalent fix must already exist in Linux mainline (upstream).
  - It must be obviously correct and tested.
  - It cannot be bigger than 100 lines, with context.
  - It must follow the

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 130

Quoted 5 lines
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
@@ -127,7 +127,7 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
 
    .. code-block:: none
 
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release

I do not know what "stable mainline release" means here, sorry. "after 4 weeks in mainline" means "after in Linus's tree for 4 weeks, but Linus's tree is not "stable mainline".

thanks,

greg k-h

#15 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 3/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

Quoted 8 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 130

Quoted 3 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release

I do not know what "stable mainline release" means here, sorry. "after 4 weeks in mainline" means "after in Linus's tree for 4 weeks, but Linus's tree is not "stable mainline".

I meant a proper mainline release like 6.7 or 6.8 to make it obvious that this does not mean a "pre-release".

I actually had used the term "proper mainline release" earlier in a draft, but a quick search on the net showed that this is not really used out there. "stable mainline release" is not popular either, but seemed to be a better match; I also considered "final mainline release", but that felt odd.

It feels like there must be some better term my mind just stumbles to come up with. Please help. :-D

Ciao, Thorsten

#16 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 3/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

Quoted 13 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 8 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 130

Quoted 3 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release

I do not know what "stable mainline release" means here, sorry. "after 4 weeks in mainline" means "after in Linus's tree for 4 weeks, but Linus's tree is not "stable mainline".

I meant a proper mainline release like 6.7 or 6.8 to make it obvious that this does not mean a "pre-release".

Quoted 8 lines

I actually had used the term "proper mainline release" earlier in a draft, but a quick search on the net showed that this is not really used out there. "stable mainline release" is not popular either, but seemed to be a better match; I also considered "final mainline release", but that felt odd.

It feels like there must be some better term my mind just stumbles to come up with. Please help. :-D

Well, what is the goal here? Just put it in words, I have seen stuff like:
Cc: <[email protected]> # wait until -rc3
Cc: <[email protected]> # wait until 6.1 is released
Cc: <[email protected]> # after -rc2

and so on.

Just pick a specific time/release might be better? "after X weeks" is assuming that we all know and remember how many weeks something happened...

thanks,

greg k-h

#17 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 3/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

Quoted 29 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 13 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 8 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 130

Quoted 3 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release

I do not know what "stable mainline release" means here, sorry. "after 4 weeks in mainline" means "after in Linus's tree for 4 weeks, but Linus's tree is not "stable mainline".

I meant a proper mainline release like 6.7 or 6.8 to make it obvious that this does not mean a "pre-release".

Quoted 8 lines

I actually had used the term "proper mainline release" earlier in a draft, but a quick search on the net showed that this is not really used out there. "stable mainline release" is not popular either, but seemed to be a better match; I also considered "final mainline release", but that felt odd.

It feels like there must be some better term my mind just stumbles to come up with. Please help. :-D

Well, what is the goal here? Just put it in words, I have seen stuff like:
Cc: <[email protected]> # wait until -rc3
Cc: <[email protected]> # wait until 6.1 is released
Cc: <[email protected]> # after -rc2

Quoted 5 lines

and so on.

Just pick a specific time/release might be better? "after X weeks" is assuming that we all know and remember how many weeks something happened...

My reasoning was: a developer that submits a patch has no full control over when the patch mainlined -- and plans sometimes change, too.

So a patch that was meant to go into 6.1-rc with a tag like "# wait until 4 weeks after 6.1 is released" might only be mainlined for 6.2-rc1 -- and then the tag does not express the developers intention.

But that might be a corner case that we could ignore. So maybe "# wait until 4 weeks after 6.1 is released" is the better example (from what I've heard something like that is what developer would like to have sometimes).

Ciao, Thorsten

#18 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 3/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

Quoted 36 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 29 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 13 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 8 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 130

Quoted 3 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release

I do not know what "stable mainline release" means here, sorry. "after 4 weeks in mainline" means "after in Linus's tree for 4 weeks, but Linus's tree is not "stable mainline".

I meant a proper mainline release like 6.7 or 6.8 to make it obvious that this does not mean a "pre-release".

Quoted 8 lines

I actually had used the term "proper mainline release" earlier in a draft, but a quick search on the net showed that this is not really used out there. "stable mainline release" is not popular either, but seemed to be a better match; I also considered "final mainline release", but that felt odd.

It feels like there must be some better term my mind just stumbles to come up with. Please help. :-D

Well, what is the goal here? Just put it in words, I have seen stuff like:
Cc: <[email protected]> # wait until -rc3
Cc: <[email protected]> # wait until 6.1 is released
Cc: <[email protected]> # after -rc2

Quoted 5 lines

and so on.

Just pick a specific time/release might be better? "after X weeks" is assuming that we all know and remember how many weeks something happened...

Quoted 6 lines

My reasoning was: a developer that submits a patch has no full control over when the patch mainlined -- and plans sometimes change, too.

So a patch that was meant to go into 6.1-rc with a tag like "# wait until 4 weeks after 6.1 is released" might only be mainlined for 6.2-rc1 -- and then the tag does not express the developers intention.

I've normally seen patches end up in Linus's tree "too early" more often (i.e. cc: stable for stuff that has never been in a stable tree yet), but sure, I can see how changes can also take too long.

Quoted 4 lines

But that might be a corner case that we could ignore. So maybe "# wait until 4 weeks after 6.1 is released" is the better example (from what I've heard something like that is what developer would like to have sometimes).

Yes, referencing off of a fixed point like a release is best as that's much easier for humans to calculate.

Also because, the original "after 4 weeks", doesn't give me a reference point to judge what the starting time is easily. Yes, I have tools for that, but most people don't.

So how about changing it to use the "fixed point" reference please? The phrasing "after -rc3" is probably what most people almost always want anyway, given the huge churn that -rc1 is.

thanks,

greg k-h

#19 lore raw

Re: [PATCH v1 3/4] docs: stable-kernel-rules: call mainline by its name and change example

Quoted 4 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 3 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis
Quoted 2 lines · Greg Kroah-Hartman
Quoted 1 line · Thorsten Leemhuis

On 11.04.24 07:30, Greg Kroah-Hartman wrote:

Quoted 8 lines
Quoted 4 lines
Quoted 4 lines
Quoted 4 lines
Quoted 4 lines · Thorsten Leemhuis

Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes: · line 130

Quoted 3 lines
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +1 -1
-     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 4 weeks in mainline
+     Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release

So how about changing it to use the "fixed point" reference please? The phrasing "after -rc3" is probably what most people almost always want anyway, given the huge churn that -rc1 is.

Okay, will go with that phrase in v2; people that want to express "four weeks after the change hit a proper mainline release" (I've seen a few people want something like that to ensure it gets field testing in a real release) can then add a version number to it.

Thx! Ciao, Thorsten

#20 lore raw

PATCH 4/4 docs: stable-kernel-rules: remove code-labels tags

In reply to Thorsten Leemhuis

Remove the 'code-block:: none' labels and switch to the shorter '::' to reduce noise.

---
Intentionally the last patch in the series to make it easy to skip in case Jonathan or someone else points out there is a reason for these tags.

---
 Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst | 37 +++++--------------
 1 file changed, 10 insertions(+), 27 deletions(-)
Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst +10 -27
index 3c05f39858c78a..0ae38472bb688c 100644
@@ -68,22 +68,17 @@ Option 1
 ********
 
 To have a patch you submit for mainline inclusion later automatically picked up
-for stable trees, add the tag
-
-.. code-block:: none
+for stable trees, add this tag in the sign-off area::
 
      Cc: [email protected]
 
-in the sign-off area. Once the patch is mainlined it will be applied to the
-stable tree without anything else needing to be done by the author or
-subsystem maintainer.
+Once the patch is mainlined it will be applied to the stable tree without
+anything else needing to be done by the author or subsystem maintainer.
 
 To sent additional instructions to the stable team, use a shell-style inline
 comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
 
- * Specify any additional patch prerequisites for cherry picking:
-
-   .. code-block:: none
+ * Specify any additional patch prerequisites for cherry picking::
 
      Cc: <[email protected]> # 3.3.x: a1f84a3: sched: Check for idle
      Cc: <[email protected]> # 3.3.x: 1b9508f: sched: Rate-limit newidle
@@ -91,24 +86,18 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
      Cc: <[email protected]> # 3.3.x
      Signed-off-by: Ingo Molnar <[email protected]>
 
-   The tag sequence has the meaning of:
-
-   .. code-block:: none
+   The tag sequence has the meaning of::
 
      git cherry-pick a1f84a3
      git cherry-pick 1b9508f
      git cherry-pick fd21073
      git cherry-pick <this commit>
 
- * Point out kernel version prerequisites:
-
-   .. code-block:: none
+ * Point out kernel version prerequisites::
 
      Cc: <[email protected]> # 3.3.x
 
-   The tag has the meaning of:
-
-   .. code-block:: none
+   The tag has the meaning of::
 
      git cherry-pick <this commit>
 
@@ -129,9 +118,7 @@ comment to pass arbitrary or predefined notes:
 
      Cc: <[email protected]> # after 6 weeks in a stable mainline release
 
- * Point out known problems:
-
-   .. code-block:: none
+ * Point out known problems::
 
      Cc: <[email protected]> # see patch description, needs adjustments for <= 6.3
 
@@ -153,15 +140,11 @@ Option 3
 Send the patch, after verifying that it follows the above rules, to
 [email protected] and mention the kernel versions you wish it to be applied
 to. When doing so, you must note the upstream commit ID in the changelog of your
-submission with a separate line above the commit text, like this:
-
-.. code-block:: none
+submission with a separate line above the commit text, like this::
 
     commit <sha1> upstream.
 
-or alternatively:
-
-.. code-block:: none
+Or alternatively::
 
     [ Upstream commit <sha1> ]
 
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