From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Bill Fink Subject: Re: [patch 01/10] e1000e: make E1000E default to the same kconfig setting as E1000 Date: Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:57:57 -0500 Message-ID: <20071214235757.06f5c47a.billfink@mindspring.com> References: <200712140002.lBE02pUb025505@imap1.linux-foundation.org> <4762E9FE.1070707@garzik.org> <20071214152215.55ef46e8.akpm@linux-foundation.org> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Cc: Jeff Garzik , netdev@vger.kernel.org, randy.dunlap@oracle.com, auke-jan.h.kok@intel.com, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org To: Andrew Morton Return-path: Received: from elasmtp-dupuy.atl.sa.earthlink.net ([209.86.89.62]:34536 "EHLO elasmtp-dupuy.atl.sa.earthlink.net" rhost-flags-OK-OK-OK-OK) by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id S1751047AbXLOE6N (ORCPT ); Fri, 14 Dec 2007 23:58:13 -0500 In-Reply-To: <20071214152215.55ef46e8.akpm@linux-foundation.org> Sender: netdev-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: On Fri, 14 Dec 2007, Andrew Morton wrote: > On Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:39:26 -0500 > Jeff Garzik wrote: > > > akpm@linux-foundation.org wrote: > > > From: Randy Dunlap > > > > > > Make E1000E default to the same kconfig setting as E1000. So people's > > > machiens don't stop working when they use oldconfig. > > > > > I am not inclined to apply this one. This practice, applied over time, > > will tend to accumulate weird 'default' and 'select' statements. > > > > So I think the breakage that occurs is mitigated by two factors: > > 1) kernel hackers that do their own configs are expected to be able to > > figure this stuff. > > 2) kernel builders (read: distros, mainly) are expected to have put > > thought into the Kconfig selection and driver migration strategies. > > > > PCI IDs move across drivers from time, and we don't want to apply these > > sorts changes: Viewed in the long term, the suggested patch is merely a > > temporary change to allow kernel experts to more easily deal with the > > PCI ID migration across drivers. > > > > I would prefer simply to communicate to kernel experts and builders > > about a Kconfig issue that could potentially their booting/networking... > > because this patch is only needed if the kernel experts do not already > > know about a necessary config update. > > You can take it out again later on - most people's .configs will then have > E1000E set. People who still do `cp ancientconfig .config ; make oldconfig' > remain screwed. I was thinking the same thing. Leave it in for 2 or 3 major versions and then remove it (something analogous to the timeframe for a feature removal). And during the interim period, add something like the following to the Kconfig help text: Note some hardware that was previously supported by the e1000 driver is now only handled by the e1000e driver. If unsure and you previously used the e1000 driver, say Y or M here. > I dunno. I guess I'm not into causing people pain in an attempt to train > them to do what we want. This is a popular driver and a *lot* of people > are going to: > > - build new kernel > > - install new kernel > > - find it doesn't work, go through quite large amounts of hassle trying > to work out why it stopped working. Eventually work out that e1000 > stopped working. Eventually work out that it stopped working because we > forcibly switched them to a new driver which they didn't know about. > > - reconfigure kernel > > - rebuild, reinstall Having been there, done that, it's definitely a pain. It's especially painful when you're doing it remotely, and since the network no longer works, you can't get into the system anymore. > Multiply that by 100s of people (at least). All because Jeff wouldn't > apply a one-liner? -Bill