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From: Jani Nikula <jani.nikula@linux.intel.com>
To: Jean Delvare <jdelvare@suse.de>
Cc: Joe Perches <joe@perches.com>, Julia Lawall <julia.lawall@lip6.fr>,
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        Andrew Morton <akpm@linux-foundation.org>, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: "CodingStyle: Clarify and complete chapter 7" in docs-next
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Date: Thu, 22 Sep 2016 16:06:00 +0300
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On Thu, 22 Sep 2016, Jean Delvare <jdelvare@suse.de> wrote:
> Hi Jani,
>
> On Thu, 22 Sep 2016 13:43:42 +0300, Jani Nikula wrote:
>> 
>> You could make checkpatch have different defaults for patches and files,
>> to encourage better style in new code, but to discourage finding
>> problems in existing code.
>
> Fixing old code isn't wrong per se. It's good actually. But only if
> done the right way by the right person. I don't think it makes any
> sense to use this task as an introduction to kernel development for
> newcomers. It doesn't teach them anything about the kernel, really.

Mostly agreed, though I'd go as far as saying certain classes of
(checkpatch) issues aren't worth fixing, at all, by anyone, except
perhaps while changing the code anyway for some other purpose.

BR,
Jani.


-- 
Jani Nikula, Intel Open Source Technology Center