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Date:   Tue, 20 Feb 2018 11:42:26 +1100 (AEDT)
From:   Finn Thain <fthain@telegraphics.com.au>
To:     David Miller <davem@davemloft.net>
cc:     netdev@vger.kernel.org, linux-m68k@lists.linux-m68k.org,
        linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org, linux@armlinux.org.uk,
        linux-arm-kernel@lists.infradead.org
Subject: Re: [PATCH net 2/4] net/8390: Fix msg_enable patch snafu
In-Reply-To: <20180219.184343.1801583131809551924.davem@davemloft.net>
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On Mon, 19 Feb 2018, David Miller wrote:

> > On Mon, 19 Feb 2018, David Miller wrote:
> > 
> >> > The lib8390 module parameter 'msg_enable' doesn't do anything 
> >> > useful: it causes an ancient version string to be logged.
> >> 
> >> Since you are removing the last reference to this 'version' string 
> >> you should remove it as well.
> >> 
> >> I'm surprised the compiler doesn't warn about this.
> >> 
> > 
> > I compile-tested every 8390 module and I didn't come across any 
> > compiler bugs.
> > 
> > Please take another look. I think you'll find that lib8390.c is always 
> > #included by a module which does define that symbol.
> 
> But nothing references 'version' after you remove the log message.
> 
> You can therefore delete it.
> 
> And I'm politely asking you to.
> 
> Thank you.
> 

If there was an unused variables I would happily remove that too but the 
'version' string is not unused. The etherh.c and mac8390.c files both 
include "lib8390.c" and in there you'll find the 'version' string used in 
ethdev_setup().

If you want to remove the reference to the 'version' string from the core 
driver, it would seem to imply the loss of this functionality from 8 
modules or else the duplication of this code in the same modules, neither 
of which seems desirable... What am I missing?

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