RE: [PATCH 1/3] string: add match_string_nocase() for case-insensitive match

Hi Greg and Andy,

From: 'Greg Kroah-Hartman' <gregkh@linuxfoundation.org>
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2022 2:24 PM

quoted

I am writing regarding the compatibility. In
`of_device_is_compatible`, it uses `of_compat_cmp` which calls

`strcasecmp` to match compatible property.

quoted

As the `fwnode_is_compatible` should be the replacement of the OF way,
I think we should make the fwnode way and the OF way the same, i.e.
either both case-insensitive or case-sensitive, to keep the
consistency. I am afraid that make `of_compat_cmp` case-sensitive may
break a great many of devices, that is why I am doing this.

Ok, but if you change this with the series, what will break? 

My changeset will not break something, and make comparison case-sensitive
does. Some old device firmwares that did not care about letter case might
not function correctly in a newer kernel, because the current kernel checks
compatibility case-insensitively and the former developer did not notice
this with the just working kernel.

What needs this
new case-insensitive comparison that does not work today?

From: Andy Shevchenko <andriy.shevchenko@linux.intel.com>
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2022 2:24 PM

So, why do we have such in the OF code and do we really need it in the
modern world?

Frankly speaking, I think case-insensitive comparison is not needed TODAY,
and before I compose this change, I can see codes in kernel like this:
    of_device_is_compatible(np, "U4-pcie") ||
    of_device_is_compatible(np, "u4-pcie")
which means kernel codes is de facto case-sensitive, although this function
calls `strcasecmp`.

I do not know kernel maintainers' mind when I am composing this change, I
just chose the way which will not break anything. Anyway, I am also glad to
edit the patch to make it case-sensitive once maintainers have made the
final decision.

Regards,
Soha