[linux-usb-devel] Re: [Bug 4424] New: modem speedtouch USB don't work on amd64 with kernel 2.6.12-rc1

[Duncan Sands]

Hi David,

> On Thu, 2005-03-31 at 09:50 +0200, Duncan Sands wrote:
> > I'd rather have "select".  I'm considering having it select ATM as well...
> > I think select is more logical: if someone has this modem, it's natural
> > that they simply choose to build the driver, and that dependencies are
> > automatically taken care of.
> 
> No, really -- it's entirely _unnatural_ that if they want to turn ATM
> off, they can't because some random driver they don't care about has
> _forced_ it to be on.

I think the power of your argument depends on the size of the subsystem
selected.  First, do we agree on the following: there's no problem
finding out who is "select"ing a given subsystem?  (Probably this is
also the case for "depends" but I didn't check if the config tools
provide the info).  I want to get this question out of the way because
it seemed to be one of your major objections before.  If you agree,
then the choice of whether to use select or not is (A) not such a big
deal, and (B) more about convenience than anything else.

Let me put things this way: is it reasonable that that the small usbatm
system selects:

	(1) the large ATM subsystem
	(2) the small firmware subsystem

I find it easy to imagine someone really not wanting ATM.  "Selects"
causes pain for such a person.  On the other hand, I guess anyone who's
turned on USB can live with the firmware loader.  I can also find it
easy to imagine someone just wanting to turn on the driver for their
modem, and not caring what else gets turned on.  "Depends" causes pain
for such a person - "where is the driver?".  Both "selects" and
"depends" have bitten me before.

These considerations need to be balanced.  I think the speedtch driver
should select the firmware loading stuff.  If you peek in CVS you will
see that I changed to "selects" some time ago for the firmware loader.
You are probably right that selecting ATM is wrong.

> As a rule, you should try to use 'depends on' for any user-visible
> option, and 'select' only for invisible options.

Why?

D.