Re: [PATCH] nfsd: add a MODULE_DESCRIPTION

[Chuck Lever]

On Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 08:07:16AM +1000, NeilBrown wrote:
> On Thu, 20 Jul 2023, Jeff Layton wrote:
> > I got this today from modpost:
> > 
> >     WARNING: modpost: missing MODULE_DESCRIPTION() in fs/nfsd/nfsd.o
> > 
> > Add a module description.
> > 
> > Signed-off-by: Jeff Layton <jlayton@xxxxxxxxxx>
> > ---
> >  fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c | 1 +
> >  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+)
> > 
> > diff --git a/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c b/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c
> > index 1b8b1aab9a15..7070969a38b5 100644
> > --- a/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c
> > +++ b/fs/nfsd/nfsctl.c
> > @@ -1626,6 +1626,7 @@ static void __exit exit_nfsd(void)
> >  }
> >  
> >  MODULE_AUTHOR("Olaf Kirch <okir@xxxxxxxxxxxx>");
> > +MODULE_DESCRIPTION("The Linux kernel NFS server");
> 
> Of 9176 MODULE_DESCRIPTIONs in Linux, 21 start with "The ".
> Does having that word add anything useful?
> Amusingly 129 end with a period.  I wonder what Jon Corbet would prefer
> :-) 

The Ohio State University has set a bad precedent.

I think we can drop "The".


> A few tell us what the module does.
> "Measures" "Provides"....
> Do we want "Implements" ??

I don't find "Implements" to be either conventional or illuminating.


> 232 start "Driver " and 214 are "Driver for"....
> Should we have "Server for" ??
> 
> 26 start "Linux" ... which seems a bit redundant
>   12 contain "for Linux".  67 mention linux in some way.
> 28 contain the word "kernel" - also redundant.
> Only three (others) mention "Linux kernel"

One of which is the new in-kernel SMB server, interestingly.

I don't think "Linux kernel" or even "in-kernel" is needed here.
Both should be obvious from the context.


> drivers/pcmcia/cs.c:MODULE_DESCRIPTION("Linux Kernel Card Services");
> fs/ksmbd/server.c:MODULE_DESCRIPTION("Linux kernel CIFS/SMB SERVER");
> fs/orangefs/orangefs-mod.c:MODULE_DESCRIPTION("The Linux Kernel VFS interface to ORANGEFS");
> 
> hmmm..  192 contain the word "module".  Fortunately none say 
>   "Linux kernel module for ..."
> I would have found that to be a step too far.
> 
> I'd like to suggest
> 
>   "Implements Server for NFS - v2, 3, v4.{0,1,2}"
> 
> But that would require excessive #ifdef magic to get right.

"Network File System server" works for me.


> A small part of me wants to suggest:
> 
>    "nfsd"
> 
> but maybe I'm just in a whimsical mood today.

I'm resisting the urge to add "RFCs 1813, 7530, 8881, et al."
Whimsy, indeed. ;-)


> NeilBrown
> 
> 
> >  MODULE_LICENSE("GPL");
> >  module_init(init_nfsd)
> >  module_exit(exit_nfsd)
> > -- 
> > 2.41.0
> > 
> > 
>