Re: RFC: Starting a stable kernel series off the 2.6 kernel

[Matthias Andree <matthias.andree@gmx.de>]

On Sat, 03 Dec 2005, David Ranson wrote:

> Adrian Bunk wrote:
> 
> >- support for ipfwadm and ipchains was removed during 2.6
> >
> >
> Surely this one had loads of notice though? I was using iptables with
> 2.4 kernels.

So was I. And now what? ipfwadm and ipchains should have been removed
from 2.6.0 if 2.6.0 was not to support these. That opportunity was
missed, the removal wasn't made up for in 2.6.1, so the stuff has to
stick until 2.8.0.

> >- devfs support was removed during 2.6
>
> Did this affect many 'real' users?

This doesn't matter. A kernel that calls itself stable CAN NOT remove
features unless they had been critically broken from the beginning. And
this level of breakage is a moot point, so removal is not justified.

> >- removal of kernel support for pcmcia-cs is pending
> >- ip{,6}_queue removal is pending
> >- removal of the RAW driver is pending

> I don't use any of these. I guess pcmcia-cs may be disruptive for laptop
> users.

Who cares what you or I use? It's a commonly acknowledged policy that
"stable" releases do not remove features that are good enough for some.
Linux 2.6 is not "stable" in this regard.

-- 
Matthias Andree
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