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0d24f65e93
Proper documentation for the design and usage of sequence counters and
sequential locks does not exist. Complete the seqlock.h documentation as
follows:
- Divide all documentation on a seqcount_t vs. seqlock_t basis. The
description for both mechanisms was intermingled, which is incorrect
since the usage constrains for each type are vastly different.
- Add an introductory paragraph describing the internal design of, and
rationale for, sequence counters.
- Document seqcount_t writer non-preemptibility requirement, which was
not previously documented anywhere, and provide a clear rationale.
- Provide template code for seqcount_t and seqlock_t initialization
and reader/writer critical sections.
- Recommend using seqlock_t by default. It implicitly handles the
serialization and non-preemptibility requirements of writers.
At seqlock.h:
- Remove references to brlocks as they've long been removed from the
kernel.
- Remove references to gcc-3.x since the kernel's minimum supported
gcc version is 4.9.
References: 0f6ed63b17 ("no need to keep brlock macros anymore...")
References: 6ec4476ac8 ("Raise gcc version requirement to 4.9")
Signed-off-by: Ahmed S. Darwish <a.darwish@linutronix.de>
Signed-off-by: Peter Zijlstra (Intel) <peterz@infradead.org>
Link: https://lkml.kernel.org/r/20200720155530.1173732-2-a.darwish@linutronix.de
Linux kernel
============
There are several guides for kernel developers and users. These guides can
be rendered in a number of formats, like HTML and PDF. Please read
Documentation/admin-guide/README.rst first.
In order to build the documentation, use ``make htmldocs`` or
``make pdfdocs``. The formatted documentation can also be read online at:
https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/
There are various text files in the Documentation/ subdirectory,
several of them using the Restructured Text markup notation.
Please read the Documentation/process/changes.rst file, as it contains the
requirements for building and running the kernel, and information about
the problems which may result by upgrading your kernel.