Re: [PATCH 1/3] crypto: hw_random - Add new Exynos RNG driver

[Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz]

On Friday, March 24, 2017 07:19:34 PM Krzysztof Kozlowski wrote:
> On Fri, Mar 24, 2017 at 05:11:25PM +0100, Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz wrote:
> > On Friday, March 24, 2017 06:46:00 PM Krzysztof Kozlowski wrote:
> > > I really do not like global or file-scope variables. I do not like
> > > drivers using them. Actually I hate them.
> > > 
> > > From time to time I encounter a driver which was designed with that
> > > approach - static fields and hidden assumption that there will be only
> > > one instance. Usually that assumption is really hidden...
> > > 
> > > ... and then it happens that I want to use two instances which of course
> > > fails.
> > > 
> > > This code serves as a clear documentation for this assumption - only one
> > > instance is allowed. You can look at it as a self-documenting
> > > requirement.
> > 
> > For me it looks as needless case of defensive programming and when
> > I see the code like this it always raises questions about the real
> > intentions of the code. I find it puzzling and not helpful.
> 
> I do not understand what might be puzzling about check for static
> file-scope value. It is of course subjective, but for me that looks
> pretty self-explanatory.

The check should never happen given that ->probe will not happen twice.

However it seems that this is possible now with DT platform devices and
incorrect DTB.

> > > And I think the probe might be called twice, for example in case of
> > > mistake in DTB.
> > 
> > Even if this is possible resource allocation code in the driver will
> > take take care of handling it just fine,
> 
> Indeed, the devm_ioremap_resource() solves the case. I can drop the
> check then.

Looking on this a bit more it seems that devm_ioremap_resource() will
not cover all mistakes (using compatible by mistake in some other DTB
node).

Leave the check, I take my objection back.

Best regards,
--
Bartlomiej Zolnierkiewicz
Samsung R&D Institute Poland
Samsung Electronics