[PATCH] cfg80211: deprecate CFG80211_WEXT

[PATCH] cfg80211: deprecate CFG80211_WEXT

[Johannes Berg]

From: Johannes Berg <johannes.berg@intel.com>

Almost all wireless tools have transitioned to
or at least added compatibility with nl80211 so
there's no real need for CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT
any more. Mark it for removal, and also change
the default to not be enabled.

Signed-off-by: Johannes Berg <johannes.berg@intel.com>
---
 Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt |   13 +++++++++++++
 net/wireless/Kconfig                       |    1 -
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

--- a/Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt	2012-04-04 09:17:37.000000000 +0200
+++ b/Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt	2012-04-04 09:17:38.000000000 +0200
@@ -441,6 +441,19 @@ Who:	Hans Verkuil <hans.verkuil@cisco.co
 
 ----------------------------
 
+What:	CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT
+When:	as soon as distributions ship new wireless tools, ie. wpa_supplicant 1.0
+	and NetworkManager/connman/etc. that are able to use nl80211
+Why:	Wireless extensions are deprecated, and userland tools are moving to
+	using nl80211. New drivers are no longer using wireless extensions,
+	and while there might still be old drivers, both new drivers and new
+	userland no longer needs them and they can't be used for an feature
+	developed in the past couple of years. As such, compatibility with
+	wireless extensions in new drivers will be removed.
+Who:	Johannes Berg <johannes@sipsolutions.net>
+
+----------------------------
+
 What:	g_file_storage driver
 When:	3.8
 Why:	This driver has been superseded by g_mass_storage.
--- a/net/wireless/Kconfig	2012-04-04 09:17:37.000000000 +0200
+++ b/net/wireless/Kconfig	2012-04-04 09:17:38.000000000 +0200
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ config CFG80211_WEXT
 	bool "cfg80211 wireless extensions compatibility"
 	depends on CFG80211
 	select WEXT_CORE
-	default y
 	help
 	  Enable this option if you need old userspace for wireless
 	  extensions with cfg80211-based drivers.

Re: [PATCH] cfg80211: deprecate CFG80211_WEXT

[Kalle Valo]

Johannes Berg <johannes@sipsolutions.net> writes:

> Almost all wireless tools have transitioned to
> or at least added compatibility with nl80211 so
> there's no real need for CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT
> any more. Mark it for removal, and also change
> the default to not be enabled.

Maybe CC lkml for more visibility?

-- 
Kalle Valo

[PATCH] cfg80211: deprecate CFG80211_WEXT

[Johannes Berg]

From: Johannes Berg <johannes.berg@intel.com>

Almost all wireless tools have transitioned to
or at least added compatibility with nl80211 so
there's no real need for CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT
any more. Mark it for removal, and also change
the default to not be enabled.

Signed-off-by: Johannes Berg <johannes.berg@intel.com>
---
 Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt |   13 +++++++++++++
 net/wireless/Kconfig                       |    1 -
 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+), 1 deletion(-)

--- a/Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt	2011-11-08 20:01:41.000000000 +0100
+++ b/Documentation/feature-removal-schedule.txt	2011-11-08 20:35:51.000000000 +0100
@@ -565,6 +565,19 @@ Who:	Hans Verkuil <hans.verkuil@cisco.co
 
 ----------------------------
 
+What:	CONFIG_CFG80211_WEXT
+When:	as soon as distributions ship new wireless tools, ie. wpa_supplicant 1.0
+	and NetworkManager/connman/etc. that are able to use nl80211
+Why:	Wireless extensions are deprecated, and userland tools are moving to
+	using nl80211. New drivers are no longer using wireless extensions,
+	and while there might still be old drivers, both new drivers and new
+	userland no longer needs them and they can't be used for an feature
+	developed in the past couple of years. As such, compatibility with
+	wireless extensions in new drivers will be removed.
+Who:	Johannes Berg <johannes@sipsolutions.net>
+
+----------------------------
+
 What:	g_file_storage driver
 When:	3.8
 Why:	This driver has been superseded by g_mass_storage.
--- a/net/wireless/Kconfig	2011-11-08 20:36:57.000000000 +0100
+++ b/net/wireless/Kconfig	2011-11-08 20:37:04.000000000 +0100
@@ -114,7 +114,6 @@ config CFG80211_WEXT
 	bool "cfg80211 wireless extensions compatibility"
 	depends on CFG80211
 	select WEXT_CORE
-	default y
 	help
 	  Enable this option if you need old userspace for wireless
 	  extensions with cfg80211-based drivers.