Re: [PATCH v4 2/4] drm/panel: Add refcount support

[Jani Nikula <jani.nikula@linux.intel.com>]

On Fri, 16 May 2025, Anusha Srivatsa <asrivats@redhat.com> wrote:
> On Wed, May 14, 2025 at 5:22 AM Jani Nikula <jani.nikula@linux.intel.com>
> wrote:
>
>> On Tue, 13 May 2025, Maxime Ripard <mripard@kernel.org> wrote:
>> > Is it really surprising you get some pushback when you are using a
>> > design that is the complete opposite to what every user of it for the
>> > last decade has been doing?
>>
>> The opposite is also true.
>>
>> If you create a design that does not cleanly fit the model of the
>> biggest drivers in the subsystem, and expect massive refactors just for
>> the sake of conforming to the design to be able to use any of it, you'll
>> also get pushback.
>>
>> > This one is usable, but you rule out the way you could use it.
>>
>> I think you're off-hand and completely dismissing the amount of work it
>> would be. And still I'm not even ruling it out, but there has to be a
>> way to start off in small incremental steps, and use the parts that
>> work. And it's not like we're averse to refactoring in the least,
>> everyone knows that.
>>
>> > I guess it's clear now that you won't consider anything else. I wonder
>> > why you started that discussion in the first place if you already have
>> > a clear mind on how to get things moving forward.
>>
>> I pointed out what I think is a bug in drm_panel, with nothing but good
>> intentions, and everything snowballed from there.
>>
>> There has to be a middle ground instead of absolutes. Otherwise we'll
>> just end up in deeper silos. And more arguments.
>>
>> BR,
>> Jani.
>>
>>
> Jani, Maxime,
>
> Thinking out loud of different solutions we can have to make sure we take
> this forward.
>
> Is it possible to have a variant of drm_panel_follower for the non ARM
> devices? That way if at any point in
> the future, the drm_panel_follower infrastructure has to be used, the
> refcounting allocation can be bypassed?

Please let's not conflate two orthogonal matters. Refcounting or
allocation is not related to platforms in any way. I see no reason to
have that kind of dependency. It would just complicate matters more.


BR,
Jani.


>
> Adding Uma and VIlle to the thread here.
>
> Thanks!
> Anusha
>
>
>> --
>> Jani Nikula, Intel
>>
>>

-- 
Jani Nikula, Intel