There's A Kernel Subsystem Being Dropped In Linux 5.3 As Easier To Start Over Than Fix

[phoronix]

Phoronix: There's A Kernel Subsystem Being Dropped In Linux 5.3 As Easier To Start Over Than Fix

The GPIO updates for the newly-opened Linux 5.3 kernel merge window is dropping the FMC subsystem as they deem it easier to re-start from scratch writing that code than to try to repair it, or "start over using the proper kernel subsystems than try to polish the rust shiny." Funny enough, this code is being used by the CERN's well known Large Hadron Collider...

http://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=Linux-5.3-Dropping-FMC

[Sonadow]

Wait.

CERN developed the FMC subsystem for the Linux kernel with other authors.

"The authors" now claim that it's turd and removed it from their development tree, and have requested upstream to follow though with its removal in 5.2.

So CERN developed turd for seven years before deciding that it's turd?

[cl333r]

So CERN developed turd for seven years before deciding that it's turd?

Idk, but I'm fine with it as long as their hadron collider doesn't explode. Only goes to show they're just people and they can have shitty logistics.

[down1]

Idk, but I'm fine with it as long as their hadron collider doesn't explode. Only goes to show they're just people and they can have shitty logistics.

Well we can't say from this article how shitty this is. CERN engineers are there to keep their equipment working why working within their limitations, not necessarily to reach computer science perfection.

[starshipeleven]

So CERN developed turd for seven years before deciding that it's turd?

I don't see that as an issue.

[wizard69]

Wait.

CERN developed the FMC subsystem for the Linux kernel with other authors.

"The authors" now claim that it's turd and removed it from their development tree, and have requested upstream to follow though with its removal in 5.2.

So CERN developed turd for seven years before deciding that it's turd?

Whatever it is, I just see this as further evidence of poor management at CERN! I've come to believe that CERN is best at wasting public money with actual science a distant second.

[Haxk20]

Whatever it is, I just see this as further evidence of poor management at CERN! I've come to believe that CERN is best at wasting public money with actual science a distant second.

I woudlnt say they are wasting money. Every test they do we learn something new we didnt know before. They are doing good work. And as with NASA they get maybe 1% of public money which yes is a lot but still less then most people expect they are getting and they were able to prove Higgs Boson exsistence. But thats not the point. They are still only people and they can make mistakes too.

[starshipeleven]

Whatever it is, I just see this as further evidence of poor management at CERN! I've come to believe that CERN is best at wasting public money with actual science a distant second.

Sorry what? CERN is doing science. As long as the code works and allows communication to the FPGAs they are perfectly fine.

[CochainComplex]

I woudlnt say they are wasting money. Every test they do we learn something new we didnt know before. They are doing good work. And as with NASA they get maybe 1% of public money which yes is a lot but still less then most people expect they are getting and they were able to prove Higgs Boson exsistence. But thats not the point. They are still only people and they can make mistakes too.

Dont listen to the Wizard of Oz ...he is ranting on CERN. Dont feed the troll.

[pininety]

Wait.

CERN developed the FMC subsystem for the Linux kernel with other authors.

"The authors" now claim that it's turd and removed it from their development tree, and have requested upstream to follow though with its removal in 5.2.

So CERN developed turd for seven years before deciding that it's turd?

Its not that bad. The problem is that most projects in physics do not see the need for good programmers (which is also not part of most physicists training, I kid you not, when I did my masters in 2016, I attended a "learn structured programming course" which was basically a fortran tutorial. After the semester most people had barely made it to write a small calculator program) and just let physicists do it instead. Which is a horrible idea because most of us lack the training to do this. I mean, just think about how insane you must be to invent a C interpreter, then just treat pointers and objects the same and then expect that people are actually learning to write proper C++ code if they do anything with this system. Icing on the cake, give it a ungoogleable name "ROOT" so finding anything for your specific problem becomes super hard. Then tell people they should always use this system because it would be a good "Industry skill". Yeah, my ass, lol.

But this is really not a CERN problem, it is just that a lot of physics is done at CERN. It is a modern physics problem partially due to bad training of physicists and also a bad mindset of many physicists ("I do not need to learn how to actually program! I am doing science and as long as it compiles it is fine! Stop wasting time debugging stuff or writing actually nice code")
Every project I have worked in so far had this problem. Luckily, people start to fight it but getting funding for full time programmers instead of physicists is also hard.