Re: Scheduling (unused) board file removal for linux-6.x

[Marc Zyngier <maz@kernel.org>]

On Wed, 29 Jun 2022 21:42:58 +0100,
Arnd Bergmann <arnd@kernel.org> wrote:
> 
> With the multiplatform work completed in the past merge window, and the
> scheduled deprecation of the Samsung s3c platforms, I decided to have a
> look at the remaining board files. There are 196 remaining boards, down
> from 489 boards ten years ago, but my estimate is that only few of those
> ever booted a linux-5.x kernel, and even less for future kernels. The
> question is how to find out which ones are still used, and which ones
> can go.
> 
> I would propose that we start by changing the assumption that all boards
> might be used, instead assuming that they are all outdated unless someone
> says that they actually prefer to keep it in the kernel.  I have started
> a list of all 196 boards and annotated the ones that look like candidates
> for removal [1]. If a board you use is on that list, please either reply
> here or add a comment in the document.
> 
> Unless someone has a better idea for how to proceed, I would allow
> six months for users to speak up and then remove the orphaned board
> files for the release following the LTS kernel. I can't list all boards
> individually, so here is a breakdown by platform:
> 

[...]

> pxa
> 
> There are a ton of boards on this one, including seven with qemu support,
> but based on IRC discussions, my feeling is that everyone who worked on
> this has already lost interest a few years ago. There is rudimentary DT
> support, so it may be helpful to pick one or two boards (gumstix?) with
> good qemu support and keep them around for conversion to DT, while
> removing all other boards.

For the two boards I used to maintain (Zeus and Viper), I'm happy to
see them go. Should anyone want to take over and bring them into this
decade, I'm happy to provide the HW I still have (although getting HW
was never a problem with PXA, and it probably is simply that people
have, just like I did, lost interest).

[...]

> footbridge
> 
> Three machines, most notably the NetWinder that a few people still have.
> I assume Russell wants to keep the machines working that he still has.

I still have a Netwinder that I switch on once in a while to check
that it is still alive (I last booted 5.18 on it, and maintain a
couple of ugly hacks to allow an old Debian to run on it). This isn't
a practical machine by any modern standard, but I'd like to keep it
around for the same reasons I still have an Alpha LCA4 (nostalgia).

Thanks,

	M.

-- 
Without deviation from the norm, progress is not possible.