Re: [PATCH v3] panic: keep blinking in spite of long spin timer mode

[Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>]

On Fri, 18 Jun 2010 06:36:31 +0900
TAMUKI Shoichi <tamuki@linet.gr.jp> wrote:

> To keep panic_timeout accuracy when running under a hypervisor, the
> current implementation only spins on long time (1 second) calls to
> mdelay.  That brings a good effect, but the problem is the keyboard
> LEDs don't blink at all on that situation.
> 
> This patch changes to call to panic_blink_enter() between every mdelay
> and keeps blinking in spite of long spin timer mode.
> 
> The default time to call to mdelay is 1ms.  It will be switched to
> longer if the CONFIG_PANIC_LONGSPIN_TIMER kernel configuration option
> is enabled.  This feature is helpful when running under a hypervisor.
> 
> Signed-off-by: TAMUKI Shoichi <tamuki@linet.gr.jp>
> ---
>  Changes since v2.1:
>  - get rid of panicblink= kernel parameter
>  - introduce new kernel config option CONFIG_PANIC_LONGSPIN_TIMER
> 

I still don't get it :(

Why can't we simply do

	for (i = 0; ; i++) {
		(*panic_blink)(i & 1);
		mdelay(250);
		touch_nmi_watchdog();
	}

on all kernels, regardless of virtualisation, etc?