Re: [PATCH 4/4]: powerpc/cell spidernet ethtool -i version number info.

On Fri, Aug 11, 2006 at 01:50:19PM -0500, James K Lewis wrote:

 Hi Olof,

  There are several reasons why an Ethernet driver should have an up to 
date version number:

1. Customers like to see they are really getting a new version.

2. It makes it easier for support personnel (me in this case) to see which 
driver they have. Sure, sometimes I can talk them thru doing a "sum" on 
the .ko and all that, but why not just use the version number? That's what 
it is for. And no, you can't just assume they have the version that came 
with the kernel they are running. It doesn't work that way.

3. It makes bug reporting easier. 

4. I have already run into too many problems and wasted too much time 
working with drivers when the number was NOT getting updated. 

Thanks for the info, Jim.

Sounds like it's most useful if a customer (or distro) takes the driver
out of the tree and run it with a different kernel, i.e. when kernel
and driver versions no longer go together. Makes sense.


-Olof