Re: Tuple and changes for m68k with -malign-int

[Geert Uytterhoeven <geert@linux-m68k.org>]

Hi John,

On Wed, 21 May 2025 at 04:15, John Klos <john@klos.com> wrote:
> Should Linux maintain a 32 bit platform that has alignment issues because
> programmers make bad assumptions?

Linux (the kernel) does maintain it, and bug fixes are backported
to stable trees.  The upstream kernel (outside the arch/m68k dir)
has no problem fixing whatever alignment issues that pop up.

> Your argument is that ABI breakage is death, and that projects and the
> world are better when we tell people to fix their broken code.

"we don't break user space" is the #1 rule in the kernel[1].

> I agree that ABI breakage is a huge hurdle. At the same time, the ABI will
> change to fix 32 bit time. Is there any good reason to NOT switch to 32
> bit alignment at the same time the time changes are made? I can't think of
> any reason.
>
> So can we all agree that there's no reason to not change alignment when
> the time changes are done?

According to Andeas, here is no change to be made for 64-bit time_t[2].

[1] https://lore.kernel.org/all/CAHk-=wg-6jYZ=bJWdyBR=n8QOfwHTZZdzSUUPgFW+NGCV-pe2g@mail.gmail.com
[2] [🔎] 87plff8p9w.fsf@igel.home">https://lore.kernel.org/all/[🔎] 87plff8p9w.fsf@igel.home

Gr{oetje,eeting}s,

                        Geert

--
Geert Uytterhoeven -- There's lots of Linux beyond ia32 -- geert@linux-m68k.org

In personal conversations with technical people, I call myself a hacker. But
when I'm talking to journalists I just say "programmer" or something like that.
                                -- Linus Torvalds