Re: Cross-referencing frenzy

Eric S. Raymond
2001-04-19T17:33:39Z

Andreas Dilger <adilger@turbolinux.com>:
> Could you make a list that splits the symbols up by each of the above
> failure conditions? It would make the task of deciding how to fix the
> "problem" more apparent.

There are 32 possible categories. I need to eyeball them and decide which
ones are significant.

> Also, it appears that some of the symbols you are matching are only in
> documentation (which isn't necessarily a bad thing). I would start with:
>
> *.[chS] Config.in Makefile Configure.help

There should be few enough of these to fit on one screen. Over 700 dead
symbols indicates a larger problem.

> However, I'm not sure that your reasoning for removing these is correct.
> For example, one symbol that I saw was CONFIG_EXT2_CHECK, which is code
> that used to be enabled in the kernel, but is currently #ifdef'd out with
> the above symbol. When Ted changed this, he wasn't sure whether we would
> need the code again in the future. I enable it sometimes when I'm doing
> ext2 development, but it may not be worthy of a separate config option
> that 99.9% of people will just be confused about.

I think things like that don't belong in the CONFIG_ namespace to begin
with.
--
Eric S. Raymond

"To disarm the people... was the best and most effectual way to enslave them."
-- George Mason, speech of June 14, 1788