Re: [PATCH] update checkpatch.pl to version 0.08

[Adrian Bunk <bunk@stusta.de>]

On Tue, Jul 24, 2007 at 08:58:25AM -0500, jschopp wrote:
>> within the last 3 weeks, this script went from *really usable* to *a big 
>> noise maker*.
>
> As we (mostly Andy of late) add more checks (good) there is bound to be 
> some code we just didn't forsee that generates false positives (bad).  You 
> can see a consistent history of cleaning these up as quickly as people send 
> them in.  Hopefully in the interim there aren't too many false positives 
> and the script is still useful.  We do try to put the new tests through 
> their paces before adding them in, but our imaginations are limited.
>
> The goal has always been to err on the side of missing badness in code to 
> avoid false positives. This way, when there is output it has a very high 
> chance of not wasting your time.  Wait a couple weeks and it'll be there 
> again.
>...

And it will be known as "noise maker" for years, even if that'll be 
fixed in a few weeks...

Running it on the latest -rc or -mm should usually give good hints 
whether the output has become better or worse.

cu
Adrian

-- 

       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed