On Fri, 30 Nov 2018 12:55:21 -0800
Jarkko Sakkinen [off-list ref] wrote:

This a direct quote from the CoC:

"Harassment includes the use of abusive, offensive or degrading
language, intimidation, stalking, harassing photography or recording,
inappropriate physical contact, sexual imagery and unwelcome sexual
advances or requests for sexual favors."

...and this is from the interpretation document:

Contributions submitted for the kernel should use appropriate language.
Content that already exists predating the Code of Conduct will not be
addressed now as a violation.

So existing code is explicitly not a CoC violation and need not be
treated as such.  That said, improvements to the comments are always
welcome, as long as they are actually improvements.

Thanks,

jon