[PATCH] make CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL invisible and default

From: Kees Cook
Date: Tue Oct 02 2012 - 15:51:14 EST


This config item has not carried much meaning for a while now and is
almost always enabled by default. As agreed during the Linux kernel
summit, it should be removed. As a first step, remove it from being
listed, and default it to on. Once it has been removed from all
subsystem Kconfigs, it will be dropped entirely.

CC: Greg KH <gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
CC: "Eric W. Biederman" <ebiederm@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
CC: Serge Hallyn <serge.hallyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
CC: "Paul E. McKenney" <paulmck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
CC: Andrew Morton <akpm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
CC: Frederic Weisbecker <fweisbec@xxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Kees Cook <keescook@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
---

This is the first of a series of 202 patches removing EXPERIMENTAL from
all the Kconfigs in the tree. Should I send them all to lkml (with all
the associated CCs), or do people want to cherry-pick changes from my
tree? I don't want to needlessly flood the list.

http://git.kernel.org/?p=linux/kernel/git/kees/linux.git;a=shortlog;h=refs/heads/experimental

I figure this patch can stand alone to at least make EXPERIMENTAL go
away from the menus, and give us a taste of what the removal would do
to builds.

Thanks,

-Kees

---
init/Kconfig | 31 ++-----------------------------
1 file changed, 2 insertions(+), 29 deletions(-)

diff --git a/init/Kconfig b/init/Kconfig
index cb003a3..f6f8146 100644
--- a/init/Kconfig
+++ b/init/Kconfig
@@ -33,35 +33,8 @@ config BUILDTIME_EXTABLE_SORT
menu "General setup"

config EXPERIMENTAL
- bool "Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers"
- ---help---
- Some of the various things that Linux supports (such as network
- drivers, file systems, network protocols, etc.) can be in a state
- of development where the functionality, stability, or the level of
- testing is not yet high enough for general use. This is usually
- known as the "alpha-test" phase among developers. If a feature is
- currently in alpha-test, then the developers usually discourage
- uninformed widespread use of this feature by the general public to
- avoid "Why doesn't this work?" type mail messages. However, active
- testing and use of these systems is welcomed. Just be aware that it
- may not meet the normal level of reliability or it may fail to work
- in some special cases. Detailed bug reports from people familiar
- with the kernel internals are usually welcomed by the developers
- (before submitting bug reports, please read the documents
- <file:README>, <file:MAINTAINERS>, <file:REPORTING-BUGS>,
- <file:Documentation/BUG-HUNTING>, and
- <file:Documentation/oops-tracing.txt> in the kernel source).
-
- This option will also make obsoleted drivers available. These are
- drivers that have been replaced by something else, and/or are
- scheduled to be removed in a future kernel release.
-
- Unless you intend to help test and develop a feature or driver that
- falls into this category, or you have a situation that requires
- using these features, you should probably say N here, which will
- cause the configurator to present you with fewer choices. If
- you say Y here, you will be offered the choice of using features or
- drivers that are currently considered to be in the alpha-test phase.
+ bool
+ default y

config BROKEN
bool
--
1.7.9.5


--
Kees Cook
Chrome OS Security
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