Re: [2.6 patch] ieee1394_core.c: remove unneeded EXPORT_SYMBOL's

[Adrian Bunk <bunk@stusta.de>]

On Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 10:01:20AM +0100, Arne Caspari wrote:

> Adrian,

Hi Arne,

> Some of these symbols are used by the open source driver "video-2-1394" 
> ( http://sourceforge.net/projects/video-2-1394 ).
> 
> This driver is supported by The Imaging Source Europe GmbH and used by 
> quite a few of our customers. For most of these customers, it is OK to 
> compile the driver but not to modify the kernel source.
> 
> Please please, do not break the kernel API out of the blue. Supporting a 
> Linux driver is already very frustrating. Currently it is a lot more 
> convenient for our customers to switch to Windows just because the 
> installation and use of the software is much easier there - or at least 
> it is easy enough there to handle the installation where it is not on Linux.
> 
> Breaking the API now will most likely stop The Imaging Source from 
> supporting open source driver development anymore. We just can not 
> effort any unneccessary development anymore. We are already blocked by 
> shortcomings in the LDM and bugs in the Linux driver handling ( see my 
> posings about a hotplugging issue and about the issue that IEEE-1394 
> modules can not be unloaded ).

the perfect solution would be if you'd simply submit your driver for 
inclusion in the main kernel.

After grepping through your CVS sources, it seems hpsb_read and 
hpsb_write are the EXPORT_SYMBOLS affecting you?
So keeping them should address your concerns?

> Thanks and best regards,
> 
> Arne Caspari
> 
> The Imaging Source Europe GmbH

cu
Adrian

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