Re: [DOC PATCH] semaphore documentation

From: Randy Dunlap
Date: Fri Apr 11 2008 - 16:29:29 EST


On Fri, 11 Apr 2008 13:21:54 -0600 Matthew Wilcox wrote:

> On Thu, Apr 10, 2008 at 03:19:07PM -0700, Andrew Morton wrote:
> > On Thu, 10 Apr 2008 16:08:16 -0600
> > Matthew Wilcox <matthew@xxxxxx> wrote:
> > > It seems very strange to me to document the API with the implementation
> > > rather than with the declaration. It's almost as if we expect people to
> > > have to read the implementation to figure out how stuff works.
> >
> > That approach makes sense for C++. But for C, the code is .c-centric.
>
> I've never programmed in C++ ... I just expect to find API documentation
> in header files.
>
> > That's particularly the case with the kernel, where we explicitly work to
> > make the .c files the things which people look at, while not caring about
> > the .h files. Look at how much we say "get that ifdef out of there and
> > hide it in the header file".
>
> I see that as being "move the complexity around" and "get the interfaces
> right", not "hide it in the header files where nobody ever looks".
>
> > > How about a note in semaphore.c that says "refer to semaphore.h for
> > > usage information"?
> >
> > No, please document it in the C file, where people expect to find it.
>
> Fine, I've done it the other way round.
>
> Please review this doc-patch. Without comments, I'll commit it to the
> semaphore git tree tomorrow.

Looks good to me. Thanks.

---
~Randy
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