Examples? The whole thing is an example! [LWN.net]

Examples? The whole thing is an example!

Posted Nov 9, 2006 22:57 UTC (Thu) by k8to (subscriber, #15413)
In reply to: Examples? The whole thing is an example! by iabervon
Parent article: OSDL to fund a kernel tech writer

I was about to make the point that example drivers are always even worse, and then you made it for me.

It would be great if somone was hard at working crafting and maintaining code and text designed to show people the ropes of kernel work, but that someone had better lean as heavily as possible on existing known-to-minimize errors techniques.

(Log in to post comments)

Examples? The whole thing is an example!

Posted Nov 10, 2006 1:13 UTC (Fri) by xoddam (subscriber, #2322) [Link]

The best we can possibly do in this department is to maintain working
code properly and update it to conform with best practice. As far as I'm
aware this is exactly the job that most kernel developers already do.

Sure, not every part of the kernel is up-to-the-minute. But I promise
you that code which is used by millions of people and looked after by
several responsive developers is in better shape than any dusty 'example'
on a website or in a book that doesn't push bits around for the general
public.

Examples? The whole thing is an example!

Posted Nov 10, 2006 20:19 UTC (Fri) by rgoates (subscriber, #3280) [Link]

How about designating specific drivers and other pieces of kernel code as examples worth emulating? Kernel hackers and driver writers can discuss/argue the merits and come to some decision about which pieces of code most deserve to be examples. I personally would greatly appreciate having such direction.