Re: [PATCH v2 8/8] p54: convert to sysdata API

Linus Torvalds
2016-06-17T03:09:32Z

On Thu, Jun 16, 2016 at 3:36 PM, Luis R. Rodriguez <mcgrof@kernel.org> wrote:
>
> Reason this could not wait is folks seem to want to keep extending the API,
> which is another reason for this, do we want to put an end to an unflexible
> API now or should we wait ?

So I absolutely abhor "changes for changes sake".

If the existing code works for existing drivers, let them keep it.

And if a new interface is truly more flexible, then it should be able
to implement the old interface with no changes, so that drivers
shouldn't need to be changed/upgraded.

Then, drivers that actually _want_ new features, or that can take
advantage of new interfaces to actually make things *simpler*, can
choose to make those changes. But those changes should have real
advantages.

Having to have a callback, or a magical "sysdata_desc" descriptor, and
having a new name ("sysdata") that is less descriptive than the old
one ("firmware") are all in my opinion making the example patch be a
step _backwards_ rather than an improvement. It does not look like a
simpler or more natural interface for a driver.

Linus