I'd like to start coordinating a bit better with other subsystem backporting the Linux kernel and formalizing strategies for the long run a bit better. I know the Linux Foundation has a work group for it [0] but the archives show little activity. We have been doing backport work for the 802.11 through compat-wireless [1] for a while now and this project has evolved now to also include support for Bluetooth, Ethernet drivers, and as of late we decided to split up the core kernel components into a generic module and separate project [2] which could be used by any kernel backport project. We also now have stable backports of the Linux kernel [3]. The split of the framework to backport a subsystem and to provide a generic module has proven quite successful in terms of management of code. The split also has helped better understand the problems required to properly backport pieces of the Linux kernel and to also consider specific solutions for such problems. Consider the research and work that Jesper Andersen & Julia have done through a Generic Patch Interface [4] (spatch, spdiff), and possible ways for us to use this to help backport. Those utilities and ideas can better be considered for backporting the kernel after breaking the problem statements down further and seeing where that work is actually applicable. What I'd like to propose is maintainers who do backport other subsystems join the Linux Foundation list lf_driver_backport [5], and we start sharing as much backport code through compat [2]. Later we can hopefully see if we can share an framework for pulling code based on linux-next.git as we do through the compat-wireless framework, but I'd also like to ensure we prioritize working on upstream properly as a unified objective to deal with extra patches as we have with compat-wireless [6]. If any of you folks are gong to be at the LF collab summit I propose we meet for beers and review some of this as well. I proposed a talk for it but I do not think it went through. Any opposition to start using the LF Driver Backport workgroup mailing list for compat patches for now? I'd also start coordinating things a bit better on the wiki. [0] http://www.linuxfoundation.org/collaborate/workgroups/gsoc/2012-gsoc-driver-backports [1] http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Download/ [2] http://mcgrof.github.com/compat/ [3] http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Download/stable/ [4] http://www.diku.dk/~julia/andersen_ase08.pdf [5] http://lists.linux-foundation.org/mailman/listinfo/lf_driver_backport [6] http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Download/stable/#Additional_patches_to_stable_releases Luis -- To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-wireless" in the body of a message to majordomo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
