[B.A.T.M.A.N.] [RFC] EOL of kernels < 3.2 and removal of support in batman-adv

[B.A.T.M.A.N.] [RFC] EOL of kernels < 3.2 and removal of support in batman-adv

[Sven Eckelmann]

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Hi,

the oldest kernel still supported via linux-stable reached its EOL [1]. It 
looks like also the distribution releases with such an old kernel are starting 
to die [2]. So I would propose to first disable the checks for kernels < 3.2 
from the daily build_tests [3]. Then someone would have to change the oldest 
supported kernel in README.external and CHANGELOG. The last step would be to 
remove the actual support from the compat files [4,5].

This would remove 13 of the ~38 supported kernels. Or to say it with years: 
The oldest kernel supported will only be 4 years old and not anymore ~7 years.

Any opinions about that?

Kind regards,
	Sven

[1] https://lkml.org/lkml/2016/1/29/647
[2] Debian squeeze LTS ended on 2016-02-29
    https://wiki.debian.org/LTS/Using
[3] https://patchwork.open-mesh.org/patch/4588/
[4] https://patchwork.open-mesh.org/patch/4592/
[5] Yes, this should remove the really fantastic warning
    "subtraction of functions? Share your drugs"

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Re: [B.A.T.M.A.N.] [RFC] EOL of kernels < 3.2 and removal of support in batman-adv

[Antonio Quartulli]

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On Tue, Mar 01, 2016 at 05:54:43PM +0100, Sven Eckelmann wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> the oldest kernel still supported via linux-stable reached its EOL [1]. It 
> looks like also the distribution releases with such an old kernel are starting 
> to die [2]. So I would propose to first disable the checks for kernels < 3.2 
> from the daily build_tests [3]. Then someone would have to change the oldest 
> supported kernel in README.external and CHANGELOG. The last step would be to 
> remove the actual support from the compat files [4,5].
> 
> This would remove 13 of the ~38 supported kernels. Or to say it with years: 
> The oldest kernel supported will only be 4 years old and not anymore ~7 years.
> 
> Any opinions about that?

Personally I like the idea.

Backporting features to such old kernels gets more and more painful and
sometimes even not feasible at all.
For example, we will never be able to run batman v on old kernels for
this reason.

Another point is that every now and then we get bugs from people trying to use
batman-adv on ancient kernels and spending time on those bugs can be really time
consuming..that's why often the solution is "upgrade your kernel". :)

Unless there is somebody who wants to commit on maintaining such old kernels,
I'd agree with Sven in limiting our support to kernels >= 3.2.


Cheers,



-- 
Antonio Quartulli

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