Hi all, When I'm preparing kernel tree for some future MIPS architecture features like removal of branch delay slot and CPU identification instructions, I noticed there are some dead on arrival MIPS architecture features that still supported by kernel. Those features are increasing our maintenance burden without attracting actual users. I think we should consider about get rid of them in case we can confirmed nobody is using them. 1. MIPS_CMP, MIPS_VPE_LOADER_CMP, MIPS_VPE_APSP_API_CMP: CMP framework was designed to abstract out SMP opreations between platforms. However it never get used by any platform beside MIPS malta EVB for M4K and M74K family. Even those EVBs can be supported by MIPS_CPS. Given that it have been marked as DEPRECATED for years, probably it's time to remove it. 2. CPU_MICROMIPS: This option is for building kernel with microMIPS ISA, microMIPS is a compression extension of base MIPS ISA, hardware IP cores can be configured to be microMIPS only or support both microMIPS + MIPS32. However it is only implemented by a small number of MTI cores, also confirmed by hardware team, due to performance penalty it incurred, there is no core that capable to run Linux (i.e.: with MMU and sufficient memory) shipped as microMIPS only. Removal of this feature won't remove support for microMIPS user space support, just we won't be able to build a kernel for microMIPS only CPUs. Any thoughts? Thanks - Jiaxun
