Re: [PATCH for v4.9-stable] reset: make optional functions really optional

[Greg KH <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>]

On Mon, Dec 03, 2018 at 11:30:29AM -0600, Dinh Nguyen wrote:
> From: Ramiro Oliveira <Ramiro.Oliveira@synopsys.com>
> 
> commit bb475230b8e59a547ab66ac3b02572df21a580e9 upstream.
> 
> The *_get_optional_* functions weren't really optional so this patch
> makes them really optional.
> 
> These *_get_optional_* functions will now return NULL instead of an error
> if no matching reset phandle is found in the DT, and all the
> reset_control_* functions now accept NULL rstc pointers.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Ramiro Oliveira <Ramiro.Oliveira@synopsys.com>
> Signed-off-by: Philipp Zabel <p.zabel@pengutronix.de>
> ---
> Please apply to v4.9.y stable tree.
> ---
>  drivers/reset/core.c  | 48 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++----------
>  include/linux/reset.h | 45 +++++++++++++++++++++++-----------------
>  2 files changed, 63 insertions(+), 30 deletions(-)

What problem is this solving?  Why is this suddenly needed now?

thanks,

greg k-h