Re: [patch] packet.7: PACKET_LOSS has inverse meaning

["Michael Kerrisk (man-pages)" <mtk.manpages-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org>]

On 04/23/2014 09:10 PM, Carsten Andrich wrote:
> Am Mittwoch, den 23.04.2014, 12:12 +0200 schrieb Michael Kerrisk
> (man-pages):
>> On 04/23/2014 10:51 AM, Carsten Andrich wrote:
>> [...]
>>> PS: This is not me volunteering to help in that effort. At least not
>>> yet ;)
>>
>> Any way that I could convince you? :-} Some of the API corners in
>> man pages are so dark, dusty, and deep that I just don't have time
>> to get up to speed on the topic in order to fix the pages, and 
>> it's really helpful to have someone pick up the reigns on a 
>> particular topic. In that sense, Vince Weaver (perf_event_open.2) 
>> and Denys Vlasenko (ptrace.2) have been lifesavers. 
> 
> I consider man-pages an incredibly important effort, since they've been
> very helpful for me on numerous occasions, and I'd generally be willing
> to support that effort.

Thank you.

>> packet.7 is another one of those dusty corners. I can't see 
>> myself ever getting the time to make it better, since there's  a 
>> lot of base knowledge that I lack, and there are so many other
>> tasks in need of attention. Andi Kleen made a good effort in
>> putting the page together 15 years ago, but since then it has
>> mostly languished, short of real love, except for a couple of 
>> patches in the last 18 months (from Daniel/Willem, and Neil Horman). 
>> How would you like to become the  maintainer of a man page :-).
> 
> You must be in dire need of assistance, if you ask me that, despite
> knowing so little about me :)

Dire? Yes, I think that's the right word.

> Unfortunately my experience with Linux packet sockets is very limited. I
> messed with them a few times, but only really started using SOCK_RAW
> packet sockets (including PACKET_MMAP) a few weeks ago (as a part of my
> Bachelor's thesis). I haven't looked at the linux (networking) code
> before Monday, when I tried to figure out if either packet.7 or I was
> wrong regarding PACKET_LOSS. And I've never even touched SOCK_DGRAM.
> 
> All this doesn't exactly qualify me for the job :)

Maybe, maybe not. On the other hand, I have the idea (may be wrong) 
that Vince Weaver was a beginner with perf_event_open() when he
started sending me patches. He's continued doing so with a vengeance
(thanks again Vince!). That has been a great help, since 
perf_event_open() is a complex, constantly evolving API surface, and
I just don't have the time to track the details. The API described in 
packet.7 has not changed much over time, but the man page has seen
little love over the years. An inquiring mind, willing to test things
and read code are the main prerequisites. ANd it sounds like some 
others might chip with help and Acks.

> Maybe we should continue this discussion in private, so we don't bore
> everyone to death.

Drop me a private mail if you want, but there are also benefits 
to public conversations ;-).

Cheers,

Michael


-- 
Michael Kerrisk
Linux man-pages maintainer; http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/
Linux/UNIX System Programming Training: http://man7.org/training/
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