Re: [PATCH v2 1/1] docs: submitting-patches: Emphasise the requirement to Cc: stable when using Fixes: tag

[Lee Jones]

On Wed, 13 Jan 2021, Jani Nikula wrote:

> On Wed, 13 Jan 2021, Lee Jones <lee.jones@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > Clear-up any confusion surrounding the Fixes: tag with regards to the
> > need to Cc: the stable mailing list when submitting stable patch
> > candidates.
> >
> > Cc: Greg Kroah-Hartman <gregkh@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> > Cc: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@xxxxxxx>
> > Cc: linux-doc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > Signed-off-by: Lee Jones <lee.jones@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > ---
> > v2:
> >  - Link to the 'stable-kernel-rules' document as per Greg's request
> >
> >  Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst | 5 +++++
> >  1 file changed, 5 insertions(+)
> >
> > diff --git a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
> > index 7c97ad580e7d0..7f48cccc75cdf 100644
> > --- a/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
> > +++ b/Documentation/process/submitting-patches.rst
> > @@ -556,6 +556,11 @@ which stable kernel versions should receive your fix. This is the preferred
> >  method for indicating a bug fixed by the patch. See :ref:`describe_changes`
> >  for more details.
> >  
> > +Note: Attaching a Fixes: tag does not subvert the stable kernel rules
> > +process nor the requirement to Cc: stable@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx on all stable 
> > +patch candidates. For more information, please read
> > +:ref:`Documentation/process/stable-kernel-rules.rst <stable_kernel_rules>`
> 
> Has there been a process change, or should I take it that a Fixes: tag
> without Cc: stable *may* still end up being backported to stable?

The 'process' has not changed.  Cc:ing the stable mailing list has
been a requirement for years.  This patch clears up the misconception
that you (and I ... and many others by all accounts) hold that the
Fixes: tag is enough.

Fixes: only works when/if Greg and/or Sasha run their magical scripts
to scan for them.  By them doing so has "perpetuated a myth that this
was the proper thing to do".  It's not.

Greg got fed-up of people asking that same question, so I'm fixing
that and giving him something to point to and say "RTFD".

Hope that clears things up.

-- 
Lee Jones [李琼斯]
Senior Technical Lead - Developer Services
Linaro.org │ Open source software for Arm SoCs
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