Re: [Q]: Linux and real device drivers

Jeff Garzik (jgarzik@pobox.com)
Mon, 27 Sep 1999 12:02:49 -0400


Alan Cox wrote:
>
> > >you can't just fire people for being too lazy to write
> > >documentation.
> >
> > Sure you can: ``Until you write documentation, this isn't going
> > into the mainline kernel.''
>
> It doesnt actually seem to arise with other projects. For one thing most
> people dont change interfaces. It works the same, it does the same thing,
> it just doesnt crash now - that tends not to need docs

For the Linux kernel I disagree. New driver submissions frequently call
old interfaces and needlessly duplicate code because the driver author
was unaware of a function or two.

Sure, the source code is out there for them to read, but I seriously
doubt most people go to the trouble of reading the implementation of
each interface they use. For example, how many people know create
create_proc_entry() will create directories for you, if you pass it a
pathname like "tty/foo"?

Stable interfaces like that IMHO benefit from docs, to enable driver
authors to use modern, up-to-date interfaces.

Regards,

Jeff

-- 
Custom driver development	|    Never worry about theory as long
Open source programming		|    as the machinery does what it's
				|    supposed to do.  -- R. A. Heinlein

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