Re: [PATCH 1/2] smsc95xx: add module parameter to turn off NIC status leds

Hello David,

quoted

add module parameter to allow to turn off NIC status leds (link, 
speed, activity); blinking LEDs are annoying outside the server room :)

No.  Create a generic mechanism, perhaps via ethtool, for users to
configure something like this.

Otherwise the next driver that wants to provide this kind of knob
will add yet another module parameter with yet another name, and
this kind of ad-hoc set of interfaces absolutely sucks for users.

I am not sure how many NICs provide that functionality, so a specific knob 
seemed reasonable

I had a look at ethtool, there are ETHTOOL_GFLAGS and ETHTOOL_GPFLAGS (and 
the respective setters) which could be used -- but noone seems to use 
those for any purpose 

a private flag for LED control (via ETHTOOL_GPFLAGS) is pretty much the 
same knob as a module parameter, so not an option

so the remaining option is to add something like ETHTOOL_GLEDCONTROL / 
ETHTOOL_SLEDCONTROL with likely only one user (smsc95xx)

regards, p.

-- 

Peter Meerwald
+43-664-2444418 (mobile)