Re: [RFC GIT PULL, v2] RCU changes for v4.12

[Linus Torvalds]

On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 1:51 PM, Paul E. McKenney
<paulmck@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> On Wed, May 10, 2017 at 01:17:54PM -0700, Linus Torvalds wrote:
>>
>> It kind of implies that the prep work that linux-next does doesn't get
>> fully used.
>
> I did see that from linux-next.  For future reference, what should I
> have done with it?  Added it to my pull request or to the commit log of
> my merge commit?

Basically, just forward the information along with the description of
what's in the branch, so that I know to expect it.

In this case it didn't actually *matter*, since I noticed it on my
own, but particularly if I'm on the road I don't generally have the
compute power with me to do a full allmodconfig build between each
pull (I usually do one or two a day), so I can miss these things more
easily. And if it happens on other architectures, I wouldn't notice.

It doesn't have to be exhaustive. Just a note saying  that "there's
going to be a semantic merge conflict in file xyz due to abc" means
that I can then specifically take it into account. Even if I were to
be on the road, I can then check that particular driver out and make
sure to check that it builds, etc.

[ Sometimes I also take those kinds of conflict notes into account for
pull scheduling. For example, back when the kids were small, and I
ended up having to occasionally drive them around, I used to aim to do
the simple quick pulls first,  delaying things that might need more
care until I didn't have some driving schedule over my head. That
happens less these days when the kids are off to college and the sole
remaining one mostly drives herself around. ]

                     Linus