Received-SPF: pass (google.com: domain of linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org designates 23.128.96.18 as permitted sender) client-ip=23.128.96.18;
MIME-Version: 1.0
References: <20210904072951.12556-1-utkarshverma294@gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <20210904072951.12556-1-utkarshverma294@gmail.com>
From:   Lukas Bulwahn <lukas.bulwahn@gmail.com>
Date:   Sat, 4 Sep 2021 09:46:48 +0200
Message-ID: <CAKXUXMyRKM9Ev_Yyyup-T=AZe2aYcN-ZneXsLmHtUC7as67zNQ@mail.gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [PATCH] Documentation: checkpatch: Add SYMBOLIC_PERMS message
To:     Utkarsh Verma <utkarshverma294@gmail.com>
Cc:     Dwaipayan Ray <dwaipayanray1@gmail.com>,
        Joe Perches <joe@perches.com>,
        Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>,
        "open list:DOCUMENTATION" <linux-doc@vger.kernel.org>,
        Linux Kernel Mailing List <linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8"
Precedence: bulk

On Sat, Sep 4, 2021 at 9:30 AM Utkarsh Verma <utkarshverma294@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Add a new message type SYMBOLIC_PERMS under the 'Permissions'
> subsection. Octal permission bits are easier to read and understand
> instead of their symbolic macro names.
>
> Suggested-by: Lukas Bulwahn <lukas.bulwahn@gmail.com>
> Signed-off-by: Utkarsh Verma <utkarshverma294@gmail.com>
> ---
>  Documentation/dev-tools/checkpatch.rst | 11 +++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 11 insertions(+)
>
> diff --git a/Documentation/dev-tools/checkpatch.rst b/Documentation/dev-tools/checkpatch.rst
> index f0956e9ea2d8..01105e9c89de 100644
> --- a/Documentation/dev-tools/checkpatch.rst
> +++ b/Documentation/dev-tools/checkpatch.rst
> @@ -957,6 +957,17 @@ Permissions
>      Permission bits should use 4 digit octal permissions (like 0700 or 0444).
>      Avoid using any other base like decimal.
>
> +  **SYMBOLIC_PERMS**
> +    Permission bits in the octal form are more readable and easier to
> +    understand than their symbolic counterparts because many command-line
> +    tools use this notation only. Experienced kernel developers have been using
> +    this traditional Unix permission bits for decades and so they find it
> +    easier to understand the octal notation than the symbolic macros.
> +    Also, it is harder to read S_IWUSR|S_IRUGO than 0644, which obscures the
> +    developer's intent rather than clarifying it.

Just a quick stylistic nit:

s/Also, it is harder to read /For example, it is harder to read/

Other than that:

Acked-by: Lukas Bulwahn <lukas.bulwahn@gmail.com>
Reviewed-by: Lukas Bulwahn <lukas.bulwahn@gmail.com>

Feel free to send a quick v2 for my nitpicking, and apply the tags
from this email.

Lukas

> +
> +    See: https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/CA+55aFw5v23T-zvDZp-MmD_EYxF8WbafwwB59934FV7g21uMGQ@mail.gmail.com/
> +
>
>  Spacing and Brackets
>  --------------------
> --
> 2.25.1
>