Re: Code removal - Was Re: Future of the ie(4) driver

Julian H. Stacey wrote this message on Fri, Jul 06, 2007 at 00:45 +0200:
> John Baldwin wrote:
> > The ie(4) driver in 7.x has several issues.  First of all, it has several 
> > compiler warnings that haven't been successfully fixed in several years and 
> > are currently just ignored.  More importantly, it hasn't been updated to use 
> > more modern FreeBSD APIs like bus_space (still uses inb/outb) and SMPng 
> > locking.  If someone is using this driver and is willing to test fixes for 
> > it, then it can be updated.  If there isn't anyone who is using this driver 
> > and willing to test fixes, then it will be removed from the tree at some 
> > point in the future (say a month or two).
> 
> I reduced "cc: stable_at_freebsd.org, current_at_freebsd.org" to current_at_
> & changed "Subject:" so as not to cross post this tangential reply.
>   ( BTW I checked, I don't have any hardware that uses "ie" )
> 
> What's concerned me increasingly for some time, (& nothing personal
> to any individual, (the above just a useful illustration ) is a
> tendency in FreeBSD for developers to say:
> 	~Unless anyone speaks in [time] I will discard [whatever]~
> Then months later a new release is rolled, & months later users upgrade, &:
> 	"Oh my god! they removed the XYZ I use ! ... Aargh!~
> 
> So when discarding, it seems best to adopt a policy to warn as
> wide a user base as possible, not just developers.  
>    Not just current_at_ or stable_at_ but at least all of hackers_at_.

I'm sorry, but are you saying that we now expect our regular users to
read -hackers?  I would say that if we need to go beyond -current or
-stable, that we need to make it a regular news item.

>    Even then we risk hurting happy users of FreeBSD, eg
>    ISPs etc who just don't have time to read hackers_at_ every day.
> 
>    Maybe FreeBSD should have a low bandwidth mail list, that managers
>    & busy admins could safely subscribe, so they get long warning
>    of functional removal ? Such things as eg 16 bit PCMCIA removal
>    (after 4.11 before 6.*) would have gone to such a list, etc.

Hmmm...  If we batch these up, one per major branch, -announce wouldn't
be too bad...

> Good PR to keep wider user base informed of planned removals,
> & some otherwise unknowing users might then reply 
> 	"OK, I'll install current/ stable on a spare box, & give
> 	developer(s) access, as I can't afford to lose functionality~
> 
> PS Analogy: 
>   Opening programme in the "Hitch Hikers Guide To The Galaxy":
>     The plan to demolish Arthur's house. on display in locked basement,
>     The plan to demolish Earth, only filed on Alpha Centauri :-)

I'm sure even if we push it to a News item and send it out to
-announce there'll be someone who said, "Why didn't I get a personally
courriered letter to my home, my place of business and my vacation
home?"

-- 
  John-Mark Gurney				Voice: +1 415 225 5579

     "All that I will do, has been done, All that I have, has not."