RE: [PATCH] ethtool: don't overwrite useful bits in advertising bitfield

-----Original Message-----
From: Ben Hutchings [mailto:bhutchings@solarflare.com]
Sent: den 21 augusti 2012 19:03
To: Johan Gunnarsson
Cc: netdev@vger.kernel.org; Mikael Starvik
Subject: RE: [PATCH] ethtool: don't overwrite useful bits in
advertising bitfield

[...]

<linux/ethtool.h> or ethtool-copy.h currently defines the meanings of
bits 0-26 in the supported field.  You define ALL_ADVERTISED_MODES to
include all of those that are link modes.  But some time in the future,
the remaining bits will be assigned to new capabilities.

If today's ethtool is used with a newer driver that sets bit 27 in its
supported field, ethtool can't tell whether that represents a new link
mode that should be included in ALL_ADVERTISED_MODES, or some other
kind
of capability.  So it may not be able to set the driver's advertising
mask correctly.

I see. Thanks. I'll submit new version of the patch.

Ben.

--
Ben Hutchings, Staff Engineer, Solarflare
Not speaking for my employer; that's the marketing department's job.
They asked us to note that Solarflare product names are trademarked.