Re: [PATCH 1/19] MUTEX: Introduce simple mutex implementation

Mark Lord
2005-12-14T23:40:12Z

Thomas Gleixner wrote:
>
> You can do a full scripted rename of up/down to the mutex API and then
> fix up the 100 places used by semaphores manually.

Again, folks, this only works for current in-tree kernel code.

There are huge amounts of kernel code out-of-tree that still use
up/down as (or potentially as) counting semaphores.

Yes, some of that code is closed-source, but most of it is open-source
stuff in people's "queues", such as the network patch-o-matic queue
and other stuff. Lots of open-source out-of-tree drivers, too.

Re-using the existing up()/down() names for a new purpose is
a very very Bad Idea. Removing up()/down() entirely is not quite so bad,
because at least then people will eventually notice the change.

Leaving up()/down() as-is is really the most sensible option.

Cheers