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Date:      Wed, 12 Dec 2012 14:48:29 -0800
From:      Alfred Perlstein <bright@mu.org>
To:        Andriy Gapon <avg@FreeBSD.org>
Cc:        Adrian Chadd <adrian@FreeBSD.org>, src-committers@FreeBSD.org, John Baldwin <jhb@FreeBSD.org>, svn-src-all@FreeBSD.org, Alfred Perlstein <alfred@FreeBSD.org>, svn-src-head@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   Re: svn commit: r244112 - head/sys/kern
Message-ID:  <50C909BD.9090709@mu.org>
In-Reply-To: <50C90567.8080406@FreeBSD.org>
References:  <201212110708.qBB78EWx025288@svn.freebsd.org> <201212121046.43706.jhb@freebsd.org> <CAJ-Vmo=U04GX%2BZyKuzXLwV%2BPpzU6_dm5BCmL=DWfsmhTVAR%2BsA@mail.gmail.com> <201212121658.49048.jhb@freebsd.org> <50C90567.8080406@FreeBSD.org>

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On 12/12/12 2:29 PM, Andriy Gapon wrote:
> Now we get a new middle-ground: get both worse performance (because 
> KASSERTs are compiled in) and a risk of harming your data (because 
> KASSERTs no longer panic). The upside: there is no panic! There's just 
> a log message (or etc). and chance to get more log messages because 
> the insanity propagates. And a chance to lose your data (your 
> customer's) - but I've already mentioned this. I am not sure that I 
> like this kind of middle-ground. 
I have a number of points here:

The most important one being:
1) without kassert you would still have the bug, just that it would be 
unreported.
   The upside: there is no panic! There's **NO** log message (or etc). 
and chance to get more log messages because the insanity propagates.

Terrible!

Let me explain that again:
If you don't compile in KASSERT, then it's not like the condition is 
never going to happen.  Instead it will just be unreported.

So to put it in your own words, *without* KASSERT you get:

   The upside: there is no panic! There's **NO** log message (or etc). 
and chance to get more log messages because the insanity propagates.



Now let's get to the other points:

2) Since this is not the default, then I do not understand why you are 
so concerned.

3) Can you explain to me why it is so upsetting to you that someone 
might be able to use this functionality?

4) *puts on flame retardant suit* ... Linux has had this for over a 
decade and it's allowed them to find bugs in different ways.  Mind you, 
in Linux it was the default.

5) Adrian and I have both stated that we need this sort of functionality 
to avoid superfluous panics in our work environments while still getting 
bug feedback.

Can we now please stop arguing over a non-default option that will help 
some vendors report bugs to the project?

Thank you,
-Alfred




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