Re: [PATCH 05/20] pata_efar: always program master_data before slave_data

[Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz]

On Tue, Feb 22, 2011 at 12:14 PM, Alan Cox <alan@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>> I was thinking about re-doing ata_piix part in a way that we could
>> merge it now by adding support for older PIIX-alikes to ata_piix and
>> making it enabled only if "all_piixalikes" module parameter is
>> specified.   This way older drivers would be left untouched for now
>> and we can easily get in-tree testing for a new code.  Does it sound
>> as a viable alternative?
>
> That is the bit to me that makes the least sense. Each of the devices in
> question is found only in the chipset so they can never be in combination
> on a board (except multiple PIIX4 which is already covered)
>
> Merging them makes it more likely stuff breaks and increases memory usage
> - its a lose/lose situation.

Each device is very similar to other one, so keeping 6 drivers for the
(almost) same stuff makes a little sense from the long-term
maintainability POV,  It is a question of different trade-offs since
on the other side of equation we have 5 drivers less, 1400 LOCs less,
no risk of losing bugfixes and features (which is true already w/
pata_rdc lacking locking fixes + Power Management and pata_oldpiix
lacking parallel scanning feature).

As for increased memory usage -- we are talking here only about 10-20k
more.  If it really is a problem maybe ata_piix can be redesigned into
ata_generic-style manner so with the help of existing config options
we can keep code size / memory usage on a existing level.

Thanks,
Bartlomiej
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