Re: [PATCH] Driver Core: devtmpfs - kernel-maintained tmpfs-based /dev

[Greg KH <greg@kroah.com>]

On Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 06:18:16PM +0300, Al Boldi wrote:
> Greg KH wrote:
> > On Tue, Aug 11, 2009 at 06:48:26AM +0300, Al Boldi wrote:
> > > Linux used to be lean and mean which made it fun to work with, and which
> > > made the switch from the competition easy.  Nowadays I see a lot of bloat
> > > going into the kernel which may indicate that Linux is starting to run
> > > out of steam.
> >
> > That doesn't seem to make sense, if more development is happening, and
> > our number of contributors, different companies, and rate of change is
> > increasing, how are we "running out of steam"?
> 
> Running out of "quality steam".  Quantity can never replace Quality.
> 
> > What specific development number is proof of us slowing down?  I see
> > nothing but the exact, and extreme, opposite thing happening.
> 
> The increasing number of regressions are probably cause for concern.

Is that just because we are paying more attention?  Or the fact that our
code base is increasing?  Or something else?

> > > devtmpfs seems bloaty due to the hotplug dependency.
> >
> > Would you use it if we fix it to remove this dependancy?
> 
> Yes, if it also compares to static /dev in terms of speed.

So again, you want something for free?  Good luck.

> > So what really is your objection here?  That we did not let devtmpfs
> > work within a CONFIG_HOTPLUG=n type system? 
> 
> Yes.

Patches gladly welcome.

> > Or that devtmpfs works with
> > the existing CONFIG_HOTPLUG=y systems (i.e. 99% of the world)?
> 
> And that should stay an option.

Again, I don't really believe that you use a CONFIG_HOTPLUG=n system in
the real world, so barring a patch from you or anyone else, I'll leave
it as-is.

thanks,

greg k-h