How do _you_ read the linux source?

[mfidelman@meetinghouse.net (Miles Fidelman)]

Robert P. J. Day wrote:
> On Sun, 19 Apr 2015, nick wrote:
>
>> On 2015-04-19 09:57 PM, r00nk at simplecpu.com wrote:
>>> The following question gets asked a lot, "I know C, but reading the
>>> kernel source is hard, what should I do?" and the common response is "ctags."
>>> It's a lot like asking "how can I build a house?" and receiving the response
>>> "screwdriver."
>>> 	There is obviously more to it then learning C and installing ctags.
>>> As a newbie myself, I recently had to overcome this problem, Here's what I
>>> did:
> ... snip ...
>
>>> 	The problem a lot of newbies are having is in 'separating the trunk
>>> from the leaves.' So my question is this: Experienced kernel developers, how
>>> do _you_ read source code? How do you separate the trunk from the leaves?
>>> What do you do when you read code you're not familiar with? How do you learn?
>>> What's your algorithm?
>    *sigh* ... this is the wrong question, in the same way that asking,
> "how do i start writing kernel code?" is the wrong question. someone
> once made the brilliant analogy that asking how to start contributing
> to the kernel is akin to asking, "i want to write a book ... what
> should i write about?" if you don't already know what interests you,
> no one else can help you start writing.

<snip>

Maybe it's the wrong question, but it's sure stimulating a lot of good 
(as in informative) answers.

Miles Fidelman



-- 
In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice.
In practice, there is.   .... Yogi Berra