From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-path: Received: from ns1.pc-advies.be ([83.149.101.17]:49246 "EHLO spo001.leaseweb.com" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-FAIL) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1755690Ab3L3MIV (ORCPT ); Mon, 30 Dec 2013 07:08:21 -0500 Date: Mon, 30 Dec 2013 13:08:20 +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: <20131230120820.GP10136@spo001.leaseweb.com> References: <230543f28a66b7bf4c4ebb63e4ac2a3000299ce4.1388387430.git.baruch@tkos.co.il> <20131230083755.GM10136@spo001.leaseweb.com> <20131230090115.GA3930@tarshish> <20131230110336.GN10136@spo001.leaseweb.com> <20131230113024.GA4361@tarshish> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline In-Reply-To: <20131230113024.GA4361@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 > > OK. So should I add a dependency on CONFIG_XTENSA, or just add a comment > saying that this driver is cross platform. The help text references only designware on ARM platforms, So the text needs to be changed. > > 2) have a commit-message that also explains this. > > Will do. > > > > > > 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. > > This watchdog is part of the DesignWare family of IP blocks. These IP block > are being reused on many platforms. The kernel already has drivers for > DesignWare SPI, I2C, USB, and hopefully also GPIO soon. None of these drivers > depend on any specific architecture. IMO it makes sense to drop arch > dependency entirely in this case. Correct. Kind regards, Wim.