Re: kernel oops in cfi_cmdset_0002.c:do_write_one()...

["Jörn Engel" <joern@wohnheim.fh-wedel.de>]

On Fri, 9 April 2004 13:42:50 +0100, David Woodhouse wrote:
> On Thu, 2004-04-08 at 16:37 +0200, Jörn Engel wrote:
> > Don't blame him, this is the result of using CVS, which is designed
> > around the assumption of a single central repository.
> 
> Well, switching from CVS wouldn't necessarily make any difference. If I
> were using something like BitKeeper then there'd still only be one
> repository which I actually _care_ about, and the effect would be much
> the same. 

Right.  That I see the problem doesn't mean that I also see a
solution. :(

> The way the update goes is something like this...
> 
> 1. Wait till the MTD CVS code is actually stable. It's not at the
>    moment; cfi_cmdset_0002.c is known to be broken and I can't send it
>    off while it's like that.
> 
> 2. Look at the current version of the kernel I'm updating. For each file
>    in drivers/mtd and include/linux/mtd, take the version from CVS with
>    matching $Id$ tag -- the version from CVS which was last sent to
>    Linus or Marcelo for inclusion.
> 
> 3. Generate a patch between those versions in my CVS, and the version
>    currently in the mainstream kernel -- those are the patches which
>    were included in an upstream kernel but didn't go through me. Read
>    each change carefully, and see if it's applicable to _current_ CVS
>    code. If so, apply it. If not, discard it. If it's discarded because
>    the problem was already fixed, that's fine. If it's discarded because
>    it's just a bogus change, make a mental note of it; reversion of
>    upstream patches needs to be justified (or at least noted) in your
>    covering email because it's often done by accident when updating 
>    Linus' tree from an external CVS, and it's _very_ much frowned upon.
> 
> 4. Now you have all the upstream changes merged into current CVS. Drop
>    current CVS into a current Linux tree, take a diff between the two. 
>    Read it. All of it. Make cosmetic changes in CVS to reduce noise in
>    the patch you're planning to send.
> 
> 5. Read it again. 
> 
> 6. Build it. Test it if you're feeling conscientious.
> 
> 7. Read it again. Identify separate change sets from the whole thing;
>    'bk citool' is useful for this. Commit each set of changes separately
>    with an appropriate changelog. 
> 
> 8. Stick it in a BK tree somewhere for Linus or Marcelo to pull from.

2, 3 and 4 involve some manual work that could be automated, not sure
if you've already done that.  If you don't a human "patch assistant"
could help you, although I don't suspect many volunteers. ;)

7 is a bit philosophical.  It would be easier if patches were kept
seperate from the beginning, something CVS doesn't allow to do.  But
then you need to deal with dependences between them, and - worse -
make sure that seperate patches remain seperate.  It would make
merging easier, but the time before merging will be different, much
harder unless everyone has the discipline for it.

Propably this wouldn't work in your current mode of "everyone dump
into CVS", you'd have more work reading and refusing patches.  That
work is currently distributed, which makes your life easier somewhere
else.

Jörn

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