Subject: Re: [EXT] Re: [PATCH net-next 14/14] qed: bump driver version

From: Leon Romanovsky <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 22 Jan 2020 20:21:07 +0200

On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 04:39:26PM +0000, Michal Kalderon wrote:
> > From: Leon Romanovsky <[email-masked]>
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 22, 2020 6:14 PM
> >
> > ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> > On Wed, Jan 22, 2020 at 05:26:27PM +0200, Michal Kalderon wrote:
> > > The FW brings along a large set of fixes and features which will be
> > > added at a later phase. This is an adaquete point to bump the driver
> > version.
> > >
> > > Signed-off-by: Ariel Elior <[email-masked]>
> > > Signed-off-by: Michal Kalderon <[email-masked]>
> > > ---
> > >  drivers/net/ethernet/qlogic/qed/qed.h | 2 +-
> > >  1 file changed, 1 insertion(+), 1 deletion(-)
> > >
> >
> > We discussed this a lot, those driver version bumps are stupid and have
> > nothing close to the reality. Distro kernels are based on some kernel version
> > with extra patches on top, in RedHat world this "extra"
> > is a lot. For them your driver version say nothing. For users who run vanilla
> > kernel, those versions are not relevant too, because running such kernels
> > requires knowledge and understanding.
> >
> > You definitely should stop this enterprise cargo cult of "releasing software"
> > by updating versions in non-controlled by you distribution chain.
> >
> > Thanks
> Due to past discussions on this topic, qedr driver version was not added and not bumped.
> However, customers are used to seeing a driver version for qed/qede
> We only bump major version changes (37 -> 42)  and not the minor versions anymore.
> This does give a high-level understanding of the driver supports, helps us and the customers.

It is worth to talk with customers instead of adding useless work for
everyone involved here.

Thanks