Subject: Re: [PATCH 4/9] [POWERPC] mv64x60: Fix FDT compatible names: mv64x60 => mv64360

From: Segher Boessenkool <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 Mar 2008 21:20:40 +0200

>> Compatible names should refer to a specific version of the hardware,
>> without wildcards.  Change each instance of mv64x60 to mv64360, which
>> is the oldest version we currently support.
>
> Actually, it's normal to have more than one compatible field, from
> specific to generic. So it should make sense to have both (with the
> 64360 entry first).

The normal use is to have the exact device first, and older devices
that the device is compatible to after that.

There is no such thing as a "generic" device, in general.  It's a
mistake to define generic "compatible" values [*], that's like
trying to predict the future -- how can you guarantee that all
future devices in a device family will be compatible?

Segher

[*] In certain cases, like usb-ohci, there _is_ a defined interface
for all future devices.  Also, "legacy" devices have a de facto such
interface.