A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
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Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#2and later he clarifies it thusly:
''' People should basically always feel like they can update their kernel and simply not have to worry about it.
I refuse to introduce "you can only update the kernel if you also update that other program" kind of limitations. If the kernel used to work for you, the rule is that it continues to work for you. '''
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#3It's uncannily similar to him going nuclear on a guy called Mauro in 2012. https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/12/23/75
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#4Mercurial, made by another (in my opinion) much more well-spoken kernel hacker, is what really introduced me to the concept that you do not break interface for downstream users, no matter how wrongly you may think they are using the interface.
It’s an attitude that is difficult to convey because software developers always want to have the freedom to “improve” their own software, even at the possible cost of breaking something for some users (and worse, even telling users that they shouldn’t have been doing that in the first place).
I keep going back to this blog post which I wish more people agreed with (Steve Losh is another person influenced by Mercurial):
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#5It's uncannily similar to him going nuclear on a guy called Mauro in 2012. https://lkml.org/lkml/2012/12/23/75
It seems to be kind of a running gag, and I wonder what else do people imagine is what the kernel is supposed to satisfy than as many other people's expectations as possible?
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#6Ahh, nothing like a good rant with my morning coffee !
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#7> - we don't cause regressions
Clearly false.
> and the corollary is that when regressions do occur, we admit to them and fix them, instead of blaming user space.
Clearly not a corollary...
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#8and later he clarifies it thusly: ''' People should basically always feel like they can update their kernel and simply not have to worry about it. I refuse to introduce "you can only update the kernel if you also update that other program" kind of limitations. If the kernel used to work for you, the rule is that it continues to work for you. '''
Here's a link to that reply for those who don't want to spend a bunch of time browsing the thread to find it: http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/1710.3/02487.html
It's a very good summary of the Linux kernel userspace compatibility policy.
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#9> - we don't cause regressions Clearly false. > and the corollary is that when regressions do occur, we admit to them and fix them, instead of blaming user space. Clearly not a corollary...
Your comment is clearly willfully obtuse and clearly serves no purpose.
Re: A regression is the kernel not giving the same result with the same user space
#10> - we don't cause regressions Clearly false. > and the corollary is that when regressions do occur, we admit to them and fix them, instead of blaming user space. Clearly not a corollary...
These are normative, not descriptive statements.