Re: Path forward for NFC in the kernel

[David Heidelberg <david@ixit.cz>]

On 21/04/2026 16:10, Jakub Kicinski wrote:
> On Fri, 17 Apr 2026 10:12:22 +0200 David Heidelberg wrote:
>>> +Cc David Heidelberg recently trying to use Linux NFC stack,
>>>
>>> Just "collecting" patches is not a big deal, I could do this, but
>>> actually reviewing the patches with necessary due diligence is the
>>> effort I could not provide in a reasonable time frame. And picking up
>>> patches without proper review feels risky...
>>
>> Hello Krzystof, Jakub,
>>
>> thanks for putting me into loop.
>>
>> I can do limited reviews and basic maintenance. My knowledge about NFC is for
>> now somehow limited (but I'm willing to invest my limited time into learning more).
>>
>> As "I & LLM" wrote [1] userspace very basic reader for GNOME and planning to do
>> more tight integration into GNOME, so would make sense to keep the kernel stack
>> alive.
> 
> Hi David!
> 
> Sorry for the delay, we (core maintainers) discussed the situation
> off-list and since our choices are either delete all this code or give
> you a chance, everyone agreed that the latter is strictly better :)
> It's a little unusual to designate someone who doesn't have a proven
> track record acting as a de facto maintainer, but such are the times...
> 
> Our expectation would be that:
>   - you'd create your own tree to gather NFC patches and send us
>     periodic pull requests every 2 or 3 weeks, with what you gathered
>   - act upon submissions within 48h of posting (excluding weekends)
> 
> Of course we'll happy to provide any support and guidance you need,
> specially for the first few months.
> 
> Is this what you had in mind? The phrase "limited reviews and basic
> maintenance" is slightly worrying, we assumed it's an expression of
> modesty rather than commitment? :)

Hi,

thanks for giving me the opportunity - I appreciate the trust, especially given 
the circumstances.

Yes, this is broadly in line with what I had in mind. To clarify the “limited 
reviews and basic maintenance” phrasing: that was more an attempt to set 
expectations conservatively. I’m prepared to take on the responsibilities you 
outlined — maintaining a tree, collecting and triaging patches, and sending 
regular pull requests.

Regarding reviews and responsiveness: I can do the 48h turnaround for initial 
feedback on submissions (excluding weekends, and occasional travel), and I’ll 
make sure no patch sits unattended. For more complex changes where my current 
NFC-specific knowledge may be a limiting factor, I’ll seek input rather than let 
things stall.

I’m also planning to ramp up my familiarity with the NFC stack as I go, so I 
expect both the quality and depth of my reviews to improve over time.

If that works for you, I’ll proceed with setting up a public tree and start 
tracking incoming patches.

Thanks again for the support - I’ll likely take you up on that, especially early on.

Best regards,
David