Subject: Re: [PATCH] net: NEWEMAC: Remove "rgmii-interface" from rgmii matching table

From: Olof Johansson <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2008 10:35:54 -0600

On Wed, Feb 06, 2008 at 10:23:40AM -0600, Josh Boyer wrote:
> On Wed, 6 Feb 2008 10:01:57 -0600
> Olof Johansson <[email-masked]> wrote:
> 
> > On Wed, Feb 06, 2008 at 01:21:59PM +0100, Stefan Roese wrote:
> > > With the removal the the "rgmii-interface" device_type property from the
> > > dts files, the newemac driver needs an update to only rely on compatible
> > > property.
> > 
> > What about systems using an older dts, such as one kexec:ing from an
> > older kernel?
> 
> Like what?  Kexec doesn't work on 4xx yet.

Sure, but similar restrictions would apply for customers who have a
flashed device tree that want to boot a newer kernel. Deprecating old
device tree support is something that should be done very carefully.

> > Just because the device tree source is distributed in the kernel tree
> > doesn't mean it can give up backwards compatibility.
> 
> We checked Axon, which is the only non-DTS machine that uses EMAC and
> it will work fine with this change.

Ah, ok. I remember discussions about this patch before then, sounds like
it's safe. I just triggered on the dts-centric patch description.

Objections withdrawn. :)

-Olof