From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id S1752004AbXDUTdq (ORCPT ); Sat, 21 Apr 2007 15:33:46 -0400 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id S1752022AbXDUTdq (ORCPT ); Sat, 21 Apr 2007 15:33:46 -0400 Received: from smtp1.linux-foundation.org ([65.172.181.25]:52905 "EHLO smtp1.linux-foundation.org" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1752004AbXDUTdp (ORCPT ); Sat, 21 Apr 2007 15:33:45 -0400 Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2007 12:33:07 -0700 From: Andrew Morton To: balbir@linux.vnet.ibm.com Cc: Balbir Singh , nagar@watson.ibm.com, jlan@sgi.com, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org Subject: Re: [PATCH -mm] Taskstats fix the structure members alignment issue Message-Id: <20070421123307.5dc2566f.akpm@linux-foundation.org> In-Reply-To: <462A0AA9.8000304@linux.vnet.ibm.com> References: <20070420164341.14718.5013.sendpatchset@balbir-laptop> <20070420121543.6a1a8426.akpm@linux-foundation.org> <462A0AA9.8000304@linux.vnet.ibm.com> X-Mailer: Sylpheed version 2.2.7 (GTK+ 2.8.17; x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org On Sat, 21 Apr 2007 18:29:21 +0530 Balbir Singh wrote: > >> The patch adds an __attribute__((aligned(8))) to the > >> taskstats structure members so that 32 bit applications using taskstats > >> can work with a 64 bit kernel. > > > > But there might be 32-bit applications out there which are using the > > present wrong structure? > > > > otoh, I assume that those applications would be using taskstats.h and would > > hence encounter this bug and we would have heard about it, is that correct? > > > > Yes, correct. > > > otoh^2, 32-bit applications running under 32-bit kernels will presently be > > functioning correctly, and your change will require that those applications > > be recompiled, I think? > > > > Yes, correct. They would be broken with this fix. We could bump up the > version TASKSTATS_VERSION to 4. Would you like a new patch the version > bumped up? I can do that. > > > > This patch looks like 2.6.20 and 2.6.21 material, but very carefully... > > Yes, 2.6.20 and 2.6.21 sound correct. OK. I guess we have little choice but to slam it in asap, with a 2.6.20.x backport before too many people start using the old interface.