Re: [PATCH] docs: initramfs: update compression and mtime descriptions

[David Disseldorp <ddiss@suse.de>]

Thanks for the feedback, Randy...

On Sun, 30 Mar 2025 22:13:19 -0700, Randy Dunlap wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> On 3/30/25 10:03 PM, David Disseldorp wrote:
> > Update the document to reflect that initramfs didn't replace initrd
> > following kernel 2.5.x.
> > The initramfs buffer format now supports many compression types in
> > addition to gzip, so include them in the grammar section.
> > c_mtime use is dependent on CONFIG_INITRAMFS_PRESERVE_MTIME.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: David Disseldorp <ddiss@suse.de>
> > ---
> >  .../early-userspace/buffer-format.rst         | 30 ++++++++++++-------
> >  1 file changed, 19 insertions(+), 11 deletions(-)
> > 
> > diff --git a/Documentation/driver-api/early-userspace/buffer-format.rst b/Documentation/driver-api/early-userspace/buffer-format.rst
> > index 7f74e301fdf35..cb31d617729c5 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/driver-api/early-userspace/buffer-format.rst
> > +++ b/Documentation/driver-api/early-userspace/buffer-format.rst
> > @@ -4,20 +4,18 @@ initramfs buffer format
> >  
> >  Al Viro, H. Peter Anvin
> >  
> > -Last revision: 2002-01-13
> > -
> > -Starting with kernel 2.5.x, the old "initial ramdisk" protocol is
> > -getting {replaced/complemented} with the new "initial ramfs"
> > -(initramfs) protocol.  The initramfs contents is passed using the same
> > -memory buffer protocol used by the initrd protocol, but the contents
> > +With kernel 2.5.x, the old "initial ramdisk" protocol was complemented
> > +with an "initial ramfs" protocol.  The initramfs contents is passed  
> 
>                                                              are passed
> 
> > +using the same memory buffer protocol used by initrd, but the contents
> >  is different.  The initramfs buffer contains an archive which is  
> 
>   are different.

I've not really changed those sentences with this patch, so I don't mind
if they stay as is, or switch "contents" to "content" or "is" to "are".

> >  expanded into a ramfs filesystem; this document details the format of
> >  the initramfs buffer format.  
> 
> Don't use "format" 2 times above.

This is also not changed by the patch. I'm happy to send a v2 or have
these clean-ups squashed in when applied. Will leave it up to the
maintainers.