[PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[Oleksij Rempel]

Now we have offically FW v1.4. Force users to update it and prevent reporting of old bugs.

Signed-off-by: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>
---
 drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hif_usb.h | 2 +-
 1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)

diff --git a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hif_usb.h b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hif_usb.h
index 51496e7..0248b67 100644
--- a/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hif_usb.h
+++ b/drivers/net/wireless/ath/ath9k/hif_usb.h
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 #define HTC_USB_H
 
 #define MAJOR_VERSION_REQ 1
-#define MINOR_VERSION_REQ 3
+#define MINOR_VERSION_REQ 4
 
 #define IS_AR7010_DEVICE(_v) (((_v) == AR9280_USB) || ((_v) == AR9287_USB))
 
-- 
1.9.1

Re: [PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[Kalle Valo]

Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> writes:

> Now we have offically FW v1.4. Force users to update it and prevent reporting of old bugs.
>
> Signed-off-by: Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de>

1.4 seems to be pretty new:

commit 216de39deef589d1a233abb2037d765aebbf4151
Author: Adrian Chadd <adrian@freebsd.org>
Date:   Wed Mar 4 10:06:34 2015 -0800

    Add v1.4.0 firmware for ath9k_htc.

I don't think it's good practise to make ath9k_htc break with older
firmware versions so quickly, especially if there's no technical reason.
The best would be to wait few months (maybe six?) before forcing the new
version, that way user space has time to catch up.

Maybe for now you could add a warning about using old firmware version?

-- 
Kalle Valo

Re: [PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[Adrian Chadd]

Yeah, let's have it warn for a month or two.

There's some pending work that will break the API with 1.3 firmware,
so it has to happen sooner rather than later. But yeah, maybe warn for
about a month would be good. the older firmware is still in the git
tree in case people want it.


-adrian

Re: [PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[Oleksij Rempel]

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Am 10.03.2015 um 16:35 schrieb Adrian Chadd:
> Yeah, let's have it warn for a month or two.
> 
> There's some pending work that will break the API with 1.3 firmware,
> so it has to happen sooner rather than later. But yeah, maybe warn for
> about a month would be good. the older firmware is still in the git
> tree in case people want it.

I'm not sure if warning patch will do the trick.
Let me resend this patch in one or two months. Are you ok with it?
Like Adrian said, there are pending patches (since 2013) which will
brake compatibility with 1.3

-- 
Regards,
Oleksij


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Re: [PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[Kalle Valo]

Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> writes:

> Am 10.03.2015 um 16:35 schrieb Adrian Chadd:
>> Yeah, let's have it warn for a month or two.
>> 
>> There's some pending work that will break the API with 1.3 firmware,
>> so it has to happen sooner rather than later. But yeah, maybe warn for
>> about a month would be good. the older firmware is still in the git
>> tree in case people want it.
>
> I'm not sure if warning patch will do the trick.
> Let me resend this patch in one or two months. Are you ok with it?
> Like Adrian said, there are pending patches (since 2013) which will
> brake compatibility with 1.3

Yeah, that's better. The crystall ball[1] says that 4.2 will be released
in August, that should be plenty of time for user space to catch up. So
if you resend this end of April or so the patch should go to 4.2.

[1] http://phb-crystal-ball.org/

-- 
Kalle Valo

Re: [PATCH] ath9k_htc: force FW v1.4.0

[Adrian Chadd]

On 12 March 2015 at 07:02, Kalle Valo <kvalo@codeaurora.org> wrote:
> Oleksij Rempel <linux@rempel-privat.de> writes:
>
>> Am 10.03.2015 um 16:35 schrieb Adrian Chadd:
>>> Yeah, let's have it warn for a month or two.
>>>
>>> There's some pending work that will break the API with 1.3 firmware,
>>> so it has to happen sooner rather than later. But yeah, maybe warn for
>>> about a month would be good. the older firmware is still in the git
>>> tree in case people want it.
>>
>> I'm not sure if warning patch will do the trick.
>> Let me resend this patch in one or two months. Are you ok with it?
>> Like Adrian said, there are pending patches (since 2013) which will
>> brake compatibility with 1.3
>
> Yeah, that's better. The crystall ball[1] says that 4.2 will be released
> in August, that should be plenty of time for user space to catch up. So
> if you resend this end of April or so the patch should go to 4.2.
>
> [1] http://phb-crystal-ball.org/
>

*laugh*

ok. i've just spoken with Linus about what should be done, and then
Kyle for linux-firmware maintainer bits. The 1.3.1 firmware will
appear again shortly, and then a new subdirectory with per-version
firmware images.

So moving forward ath9k_htc can just check to see if the newer
firmware is available, and fall back to the older firmware if needs
be.

If earlier kernels are booted then the linux-firmware install will
still have htc_{7010,9271}.fw as 1.3.1, so those kernels will still
work.

Now - as for how long the tip of ath9k_htc development should work
with older firmware - that's a good question. I think yes, waiting a
couple more months before merging it in so userspace can catch up is
fine.

Thanks!


-a