From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-path: Received: from ns1.pc-advies.be ([83.149.101.17]:49236 "EHLO spo001.leaseweb.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-FAIL) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1755514Ab3L3LDh (ORCPT ); Mon, 30 Dec 2013 06:03:37 -0500 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2013 12:03:36 +0100 From: Wim Van Sebroeck To: Baruch Siach Cc: linux-watchdog@vger.kernel.org, Jamie Iles Subject: Re: [PATCH] watchdog: dw_wdt: remove build dependencies Message-ID: <20131230110336.GN10136@spo001.leaseweb.com> References: <230543f28a66b7bf4c4ebb63e4ac2a3000299ce4.1388387430.git.baruch@tkos.co.il> <20131230083755.GM10136@spo001.leaseweb.com> <20131230090115.GA3930@tarshish> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20131230090115.GA3930@tarshish> Sender: linux-watchdog-owner@vger.kernel.org List-Id: linux-watchdog@vger.kernel.org Hi Baruch, > > If this is ARM hardware, then this should have the dependency "depends on > > ARM". > > Only if other architectures start using this watchdog device, then the > > "depends on ARM" can go. > > Well, we intend to use this driver on Xtensa platform, does this count? Xtensa is indeed another Platform, but then I expect the patch to: 1) make this clear in the Kconfig file 2) have a commit-message that also explains this. > As a general rule wouldn't it be better to have the widest possible build > coverage, and encourage arch neutral driver coding? We try to have as much arch neutral driver encoding (see the Kconfig & Makefile in the drivers/watchdog directory and you will see that we have drivers that are not depending on a specific hardware architecture), but we should not forget that certain hardware is only available in a certain architecture and that it thus does not make any sense to compile kernels with drivers that never will be used. So the general rule still is: use common sense and look at the broader picture. Kind regards, Wim.