Re: [PATCH net-next 0/4] net: usb: move exported code to usbnet

[Andrew Lunn]

On Fri, Jul 03, 2026 at 12:16:20PM +0200, Oliver Neukum wrote:
> On 02.07.26 20:15, Andrew Lunn wrote:
> > On Thu, Jul 02, 2026 at 04:25:29PM +0200, Oliver Neukum wrote:
> > > Some drivers are reusing common code originating in other drivers.
> > > This means that two drivers need to be loaded for one device.
> > 
> > Maybe consider using 'framework' or 'library', rather than driver,
> > when referring to the shared code?
> > 
> > I tend to think of a driver as the leaf node which probes based on
> > enumeration of a bus. But usbnet.c itself is never probed.
> 
> Yes, I also think of a leaf node when a "driver" is referred to.
> That is the very point. Currently you need _two_ drivers and
> usbnet for some devices.
> Should I reformulate? If so, how exactly?

Maybe give examples? List the two drivers used for one device?
cdc_ether.c is being used both as a driver and a library? The
EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL() make this clear, a driver would normally not need
exports. The patchset starts to make cdc_ether.c a pure driver, moving
some of the shared code into the usbnet library.

Just to be clear, i think what you are doing is correct, i just had
problems understanding the commit message.

     Andrew