Re: [PATCH] slab: Fix too strict alignment check in create_cache()

[Guenter Roeck <linux@roeck-us.net>]

On Thu, Nov 21, 2024 at 09:23:28AM -0800, Christoph Lameter (Ampere) wrote:
> On Thu, 21 Nov 2024, Geert Uytterhoeven wrote:
> 
> > Linux has supported m68k since last century.
> 
> Yeah I fondly remember the 80s where 68K systems were always out of reach
> for me to have. The dream system that I never could get my hands on. The
> creme de la creme du jour. I just had to be content with the 6800 and
> 6502 processors. Then IBM started the sick road down the 8088, 8086
> that led from crap to more crap. Sigh.
> 
> > Any new such assumptions are fixed quickly (at least in the kernel).
> > If you need a specific alignment, make sure to use __aligned and/or
> > appropriate padding in structures.
> > And yes, the compiler knows, and provides __alignof__.
> >
> > > How do you deal with torn reads/writes in such a scenario? Is this UP
> > > only?
> >
> > Linux does not support (rate) SMP m68k machines.
> 
> Ah. Ok that explains it.
> 
> Do we really need to maintain support for a platform that has been
> obsolete for decade and does not even support SMP?

Since this keeps coming up, I think there is a much more important
question to ask:

Do we really need to continue supporting nommu machines ? Is anyone
but me even boot testing those ?

Guenter