Re: Kernel modules compiling error on 2.3.8 ?

Mark H. Wood (mwood@iupui.edu)
Sat, 26 Jun 1999 09:28:32 -0500 (EST)


On Wed, 23 Jun 1999, Rogerio Brito wrote:
[quotes snipped]
> I'm sorry, but it *IS* actually a clever thing to
> intentionally break the interface whenever you make
> substantial changes to the inner gears of whatever programs
> you maintain.

It might be more clever to declare a small number of interface version
numbers and compile them into the various bits of the kernel. If the make
pukes because of some random impossibility in some random sourcefile of
some random driver, then I can readily locate *what* happened but
discovering *why* could be very difficult. If the make exits after ln
reports "Attempt to change the value of VFS_VERSION" then I have a pretty
good idea where to go looking for answers: I need to go read the updated
subsystem interfaces document. (Oh, waitaminute....)

Simply letting the compile fail gives you a list of places to start
working, but it isn't guaranteed to give you *all* the problem locations
so it may not be worth the confusion. Maybe it's better to tell *what*
broke something and leave interested parties to figure out *where* it
broke since they have to do that anyway.

-- 
Mark H. Wood, Lead System Programmer   mwood@IUPUI.Edu
A Brazil-nut is neatly packaged and tightly integrated.  To turn it into
food, you must crack and remove the shell.  I find that I feel the same   
way about an increasing number of software products.  *sigh*

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