ks7010 cfg80211 re-write

[Greg KH]

On Thu, Jun 22, 2017 at 11:10:47AM +1000, Tobin C. Harding wrote:
> May I please ask two questions relating to the correct kernel development
> protocol to follow for the cfg80211 re-write.
> 
> Current state: Functional WEXT driver in drivers/staging.
> 
> Interim state: Partial cfg80211 implementation.
> 
> Target state: Functional cfg80211 driver in drivers/staging.
> 
> Future state: Functional cfg80211 driver out of staging.
> 
> Question 1: Is it correct kernel development protocol to do the
> interim state in public?

I don't know exactly what you mean by "interm state" here, does the
driver still work at that point in time?

The rule is, the driver needs to keep working for every patch submitted
along the way.  If you are going to have to break that with the rework,
then no, that's not ok.

I think many many months ago I said that doing this type of conversion
for a wifi driver was really hard.  It's only ever happened one time in
the past, and I was amazed at the work involved in doing it.

Every other time a wifi driver has moved out of staging, the author has
just given up on the staging driver, and rewritten it "properly" and
gotten that rewrite merged as one patch, into the real part of the
kernel, and after that is merged, we delete the staging driver.

Doing it that way is _much_ easier for the developer, as you don't have
to deal with any interm state at all, you can tear the thing apart and
put it back together on your own, and just submit the end result.

I strongly recommend doing it this way, but it's up to you in the end :)

good luck, and I hope this helps,

greg k-h