On Sat, Dec 14, 2002 at 08:05:30PM +0530, arun4linux wrote:
Interfaces should NEVER change in patch level versions.
Just *DO NOT DO IT*.
I do agree on this.
Rubbish.
Think about what you've just said. Patch level version changes are
things like 2.5.43 to 2.5.44 or 2.4.19 to 2.4.20.
You are saying that we shouldn't change any interfaces between (eg)
2.5.43 and 2.5.44, but we should change every interface we want to
change between 2.4.15 and 2.5.0.
This is obviously completely bogus. 2.5 is a _development_ tree.
Everyone should expect anything, including interfaces to change
between each development patch level.
This is a common complaint about linux kernel developers. And this always
gives an insecure feeling :-) for the device driver or kernel module
programmers.
If interfaces are changed without extremely good reason between two
_stable_ patch level versions, that would be a bug.
This was one of the issues in my earlier company/work and they have
gone for another OS.
Was the problem against a stable kernel version? Did you report the
problem when you found it? Was there a response?
Unless you have done at least the above, I, for one, have very little
sympathy.
--
Russell King (rmk@arm.linux.org.uk) The developer of ARM Linux
http://www.arm.linux.org.uk/personal/aboutme.html
On Sat, 14 Dec 2002, Russell King wrote:
...
Rubbish.
Think about what you've just said. Patch level version changes are
things like 2.5.43 to 2.5.44 or 2.4.19 to 2.4.20.
You are saying that we shouldn't change any interfaces between (eg)
2.5.43 and 2.5.44, but we should change every interface we want to
change between 2.4.15 and 2.5.0.
Put very simply yes . x.odd-number.y IS for DEVELOPEMENT ,
x.even-number.y IS for Stability .
If people can not understand that I feel sorry for them .
JimL
--
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
| James W. Laferriere | System Techniques | Give me VMS |
| Network Engineer | P.O. Box 854 | Give me Linux |
| babydr@baby-dragons.com | Coudersport PA 16915 | only on AXP |
+------------------------------------------------------------------+
On Sat, 14 Dec 2002, Russell King wrote:
On Sat, Dec 14, 2002 at 08:05:30PM +0530, arun4linux wrote:
quoted
Interfaces should NEVER change in patch level versions.
Just *DO NOT DO IT*.
I do agree on this.
Rubbish.
Think about what you've just said. Patch level version changes are
things like 2.5.43 to 2.5.44 or 2.4.19 to 2.4.20.
You are saying that we shouldn't change any interfaces between (eg)
2.5.43 and 2.5.44, but we should change every interface we want to
change between 2.4.15 and 2.5.0.
This is obviously completely bogus. 2.5 is a _development_ tree.
Everyone should expect anything, including interfaces to change
between each development patch level.
quoted
This is a common complaint about linux kernel developers. And this always
gives an insecure feeling :-) for the device driver or kernel module
programmers.
If interfaces are changed without extremely good reason between two
_stable_ patch level versions, that would be a bug.
There have been a few during 2.4... The alloc_kiovec stuff for instance
and zap_page_range. 2.2 was much more stable.
Interface changes in development series is (or atleast should be to
everyone using linux) a known "feature".
Regards,
--
Steffen Persvold | Scali AS
mailto:sp@scali.com | http://www.scali.com
Tel: (+47) 2262 8950 | Olaf Helsets vei 6
Fax: (+47) 2262 8951 | N0621 Oslo, NORWAY