Re: [PATCH] x86: Remove readq()/writeq() on 32-bit

[H. Peter Anvin]

Jeff Garzik wrote:
> 
> Roland's patch was acked, apparently, _in spite of_ the commonly 
> accepted readq() definition already being in use!
> 
> Thusfar, I see two things:
> 
> (1) years of history has shown that non-atomic readq/writeq on 32-bit 
> platforms has been sufficient, based on testing and experience.  In 
> fact, in niu's case, a common readq/writeq would have PREVENTED a bug.
> 
> (2) unspecified fears continue to linger about non-atomicity
> 
> We should not base decisions on fear, particularly when the weight of 
> evidence and experience points in the other direction.
> 

I have personally dealt with at least one device who'd want to opt out
of a standard readq/writeq (it's not in-tree because it never shipped,
unfortunately.)  Doing the opt-in headers seems like a reasonable thing
to do to me, but perhaps I'm just being overly paranoid.

	-hpa

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