Re: [PATCH] mm: convert totalram_pages, totalhigh_pages and managed_pages to atomic.

[Michal Hocko <mhocko@kernel.org>]

On Wed 24-10-18 01:39:18, Joe Perches wrote:
> On Wed, 2018-10-24 at 10:23 +0200, Michal Hocko wrote:
> > On Tue 23-10-18 23:26:16, Joe Perches wrote:
> > > On Wed, 2018-10-24 at 08:15 +0200, Michal Hocko wrote:
> > > > On Wed 24-10-18 10:47:52, Arun KS wrote:
> > > > > On 2018-10-24 01:34, Kees Cook wrote:
> > > > [...]
> > > > > > Thank you -- I was struggling to figure out the best way to reply to
> > > > > > this. :)
> > > > > I'm sorry for the trouble caused. Sent the email using,
> > > > > git send-email  --to-cmd="scripts/get_maintainer.pl -i"
> > > > > 0001-convert-totalram_pages-totalhigh_pages-and-managed_p.patch
> > > > > 
> > > > > Is this not a recommended approach?
> > > > 
> > > > Not really for tree wide mechanical changes. It is much more preferrable
> > > > IMHO to only CC people who should review the intention of the change
> > > > rather than each and every maintainer whose code is going to be changed.
> > > > This is a case by case thing of course but as soon as you see a giant CC
> > > > list from get_maintainer.pl then you should try to think twice to use
> > > > it. If not sure, just ask on the mailing list.
> > > 
> > > Generally, it's better to use scripts to control
> > > the --to-cmd and --cc-cmd options.
> > 
> > I would argue that it is better to use a common sense much more than
> > scripts.
> 
> Common sense isn't common.

But you cannot replace brain by a script.

Again, this is mostly a mechanical change quite internal to the MM
proper. Involving all the maintainers which happen to use totalram_pages
etc. are unlikely to need to know about this change. Sure there is some
chance of merge conflicts and that is where linux-next comes really
handy.

This is the best advice I can give here.
-- 
Michal Hocko
SUSE Labs