From owner-freebsd-arch@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Feb 9 02:49:26 2015 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:1900:2254:206a::19:1]) (using TLSv1.2 with cipher AECDH-AES256-SHA (256/256 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 8B45ABA5; Mon, 9 Feb 2015 02:49:26 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mail.karels.net (mail.karels.net [63.231.190.5]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 0DD563D2; Mon, 9 Feb 2015 02:49:25 +0000 (UTC) Received: from mail.karels.net (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by mail.karels.net (8.14.7/8.14.7) with ESMTP id t192nI96091798; Sun, 8 Feb 2015 20:49:18 -0600 (CST) (envelope-from mike@karels.net) Message-Id: <201502090249.t192nI96091798@mail.karels.net> To: Alfred Perlstein From: Mike Karels Reply-to: mike@karels.net Subject: Re: Fwd: Adding new media types to if_media.h In-reply-to: Your message of Sun, 08 Feb 2015 16:56:49 -0800. <54D805D1.4050008@freebsd.org> Date: Sun, 08 Feb 2015 20:49:18 -0600 Cc: Adrian Chadd , Rui Paulo , "freebsd-net@freebsd.org" , Eric Joyner , John Baldwin , Jack Vogel , "freebsd-arch@freebsd.org" X-BeenThere: freebsd-arch@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.18-1 Precedence: list List-Id: Discussion related to FreeBSD architecture List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 09 Feb 2015 02:49:26 -0000 Alfred wrote: > On 2/8/15 2:41 PM, Mike Karels wrote: > > > > To solve the second problem, I think the right approach would be to reduce > > this interface to a truly generic one, such as media type (e.g. Ethernet), > > generic flags, and perhaps generic status. Then there should be a separate > > media-specific interface for each type, such as Ethernet and 802.11. To a > > small extent, we already have that. Solving the second, more general problem, > > requires a whole new driver KPI that will require surgery to every driver, > > which is not an exercise that I would consider. > > > > > > I am willing to do a prototype for -current for evaluation. > > > > Comments, alternatives, ? > Mike, > I think we have enough people to chip in that your concern about > breaking the KPI is not as bad as you think. > Would like to hear the first correct + long term + less hackish proposal > first. > Norse has a kernel team that is heavily invested in networking that can > help with the transition. > If done right, likely renaming ALL of the macros it will be quite > trivial to catch all bad cases and move us forward in one great leap. Don't forget that the KPI is not the only part. Breaking the user-level interface (API/ABI are almost the same) gets into ports and other important software that is harder to change. A new KPI could still provide a compatible API, but would be much constrained. And fwiw, I don't see the advantage to be gained unless the 802.11 software would be much improved. I'm not the one to weigh in on that. Mike