Re: [PATCH v3 0/6] Remove remaining references to the pktcdvd driver

Bart Van Assche <[email protected]> Thu, 4 Jun 2026 14:17:16 -0700
Newsgroups org.kernel.vger.sparclinux,org.kernel.vger.linux-kernel,org.kernel.vger.linux-mips,org.kernel.vger.linux-scsi,org.kernel.vger.linux-sh,org.ozlabs.lists.linuxppc-dev
Message-ID <[email protected]>
On 6/4/26 1:59 PM, Catalin Iacob wrote:
> For learning purposes, do you mind quickly sharing your rationale for
> combining 1 and 2? To me they are in the same area but still separate
> things: one removes dead code, the other increases encapsulation. Each
> is a small but worthwhile cleanup, they can be applied in any order and
> each can be applied without the other. It's true that, while patch 2
> without patch 1 works, it would increase confusion but I find that an
> argument to order 2 after 1, not to say they are one thing.
> 
> I'd also find it hard to describe what that combined patch does except
> by calling out two things: "remove dead code and move the declaration".
> Your suggested "unexport" seems more confusing than clarifying, I'd
> argue that today the symbol is not exported since that ifdef always
> compiles the export out.

"Unexport" is commonly used terminology in the Linux kernel for removing
EXPORT_SYMBOL*().

I proposed to combine patches 1 and 2 because it is normal that the
declaration of a function is moved from a public to a private header
file if it is unexported.

If patches 1 and 2 are combined, the most important change is removal
of EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(). So I think that "Unexport
scsi_device_from_queue()" would still be an appropriate description for
such a patch.

Thanks,

Bart.