From: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
To: "Manuel Ebner" <manuelebnerli@mailbox.org>,
"Shuah Khan" <skhan@linuxfoundation.org>,
"Miguel Ojeda" <ojeda@kernel.org>,
"Boqun Feng" <boqun@kernel.org>, "Gary Guo" <gary@garyguo.net>,
"Björn Roy Baron" <bjorn3_gh@protonmail.com>,
"Benno Lossin" <lossin@kernel.org>,
"Andreas Hindborg" <a.hindborg@kernel.org>,
"Alice Ryhl" <aliceryhl@google.com>,
"Trevor Gross" <tmgross@umich.edu>,
"Danilo Krummrich" <dakr@kernel.org>,
"Daniel Almeida" <daniel.almeida@collabora.com>,
"Tamir Duberstein" <tamird@kernel.org>,
"Alexandre Courbot" <acourbot@nvidia.com>,
"Onur Özkan" <work@onurozkan.dev>,
"Nathan Chancellor" <nathan@kernel.org>,
"Nick Desaulniers" <nick.desaulniers+lkml@gmail.com>,
"Bill Wendling" <morbo@google.com>,
"Justin Stitt" <justinstitt@google.com>
Cc: Manuel Ebner <manuelebnerli@mailbox.org>,
workflows@vger.kernel.org, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org,
linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, rust-for-linux@vger.kernel.org,
llvm@lists.linux.dev
Subject: Re: [PATCH 5/5] Docs: software-requirements.rst replace optional tag with footnotes
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 2026 07:15:54 -0600 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <87tsoyi2k5.fsf@trenco.lwn.net> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <20260812122426.1636227-2-manuelebnerli@mailbox.org>
Manuel Ebner <manuelebnerli@mailbox.org> writes:
> The optional tag isn't obvious nor defined. Therefore replace with footnotes
> like the one of Sphinx.
>
> Signed-off-by: Manuel Ebner <manuelebnerli@mailbox.org>
> ---
> .../process/software-requirements.rst | 22 ++++++++++++-------
> 1 file changed, 14 insertions(+), 8 deletions(-)
Explaining the optionals seems like a fine idea. I'm a bit less
convinced about the mess of footnotes.
Especially since many of the entries that are *not* marked as optional
really are. You only need e2fsprogs if you're using ext4. gdb only if
you're wanting to run a debugger. jfsutils seems truly optional, etc.
Even GCC is optional if you're using Clang.
I'm not sure what would be best...perhaps replace the --version field
(which people can figure out) with an explanation of when each
dependency would be needed?
jon
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2026-08-13 13:16 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 16+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2026-08-12 12:08 [PATCH 0/5] Docs: changes.rst: Rework Manuel Ebner
2026-08-12 12:14 ` [PATCH 1/5] Docs: changes.rst: rename file and references and add links Manuel Ebner
2026-08-12 13:07 ` bot+bpf-ci
2026-08-12 13:15 ` Jonathan Corbet
2026-08-13 0:05 ` Randy Dunlap
2026-08-12 12:19 ` [PATCH 2/5] Docs: software-requirements.rst: Refine language Manuel Ebner
2026-08-13 0:03 ` Randy Dunlap
2026-08-12 12:21 ` [PATCH 3/5] Docs: software-requirements.rst: add lzop, lzma and ip-route2 Manuel Ebner
2026-08-13 0:04 ` Randy Dunlap
2026-08-13 7:47 ` Manuel Ebner
2026-08-12 12:22 ` [PATCH 4/5] Docs: pt_BR, it_IT: software-requirements.rst: copy tables from source Manuel Ebner
2026-08-12 12:24 ` [PATCH 5/5] Docs: software-requirements.rst replace optional tag with footnotes Manuel Ebner
2026-08-13 0:02 ` Randy Dunlap
2026-08-13 0:11 ` John Hubbard
2026-08-13 13:15 ` Jonathan Corbet [this message]
2026-08-13 14:30 ` Manuel Ebner
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