Re: devicetree repository separation/migration

[Frank Rowand <frowand.list-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>]

On 2/19/2014 1:08 AM, Sascha Hauer wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 18, 2014 at 02:44:15PM -0800, Tim Bird wrote:
>> I'm not in favor of separating the device tree information from the kernel.
>>
>> If we switch, then whatever synchronization issues other projects
>> are having now with synching with the device tree info from the kernel will
>> just then become the problem of the kernel developers, who will then
>> have to sync with the device tree info from another repository.  If the
>> sync issues can't be solved now for them, why or how would it be solved
>> post-separation for us?  (It sounds like a zero-sum game of pain transfer
>> to me.)
>>
>> I'm relatively unfamiliar with the arguments.  Can someone provide
>> a brief list of reasons this is needed, and how the inconvenience to Linux
>> kernel developers will be minimized, should it proceed?
> 


> One of the reasons for doing devicetrees is to separate the hardware
> description from the code so that:
> - Other OSes (and bootloaders) can use the same description to start on
>   a given hardware
> - A generic Kernel can be started on any hardware
> - A hardware describes itself, makes itself more introspecitve so we can
>   go away from very specialized kernels

Tim knows this ^^^^.  He was asking for the arguments for moving dts files
out of the linux kernel source tree.

Can you answer his question?

> 
> This can't be archieved when the devicetrees are constantly changing. So
> we should separate the devicetrees from the kernel to make them usable
> for other projects, but also to make the kernel more universally usable.
> Compatibility issues will be far more obvious when kernel and
> devicetrees are separated, but this will make people behave more
> carefully and helps making the devicetree interface more stable and
> usable.

So come up with a way of making dts files more stable while still in
the linux kernel source tree.  Moving the files to another repository
is not going to magically make them more stable.

> 
> Just to make that sure: It's an illusion that future kernels will be
> 100% compatible with old devicetrees, but we should at least follow a
> best effort approach. If they are compatible enough to at least bring up
> the hardware then this is at least enough to install a better
> devicetree.
> 
> Sascha
> 

-Frank
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