Re: [PATCH] xen/decompress: make helper symbols static

[Ian Jackson <iwj@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Jan Beulich writes ("Re: [PATCH] xen/decompress: make helper symbols static"):
> On 18.01.2021 17:09, Ian Jackson wrote:
> > AFAICT, this patch
> > 
> > * was first posted after the last posting date for Xen 4.15.
> > * is not a bugfix.
> > 
> > In which case it has missed 4.15.
> > 
> > Please correct me if you think I am wrong.
> 
> You aren't, and I don't view this as a big problem - its more of
> an aid to be sure no bad (unintended) references exist (Arm's
> unhelpful re-use of xz's CRC32 function triggered the change).

Ah I see.  Thanks for that explanation.  Well, I might be inclined to
grant a freeze exception on the basis that the point of this is to
remove rather than add risk.

If you think that might be sensible, would you care to provide a frank
assessment of the risks to 4.15 of taking this patch, vs. the risks to
4.15 of postponing it ?

> I can surely hold this back until 4.16 opens, hoping it won't
> collide with the zstd decompression work I'm now doing on the DomU
> side (lack which, if you agree with Andrew's assessment, is more a
> bug fix than a feature addition).

I agree that zstd is a blocker for 4.15.

> But yes - I will need to remind myself to filter what is eligible
> for committing, from now on until the branch point.

If there are edge cases, or things that would warrant an exception,
please do ask me explicitly.

In general my objective for the freeze policy is to try to minimise
the number and severity of bugs in 4.15 :-) and if I think a freeze
exception is the best way of doing that, I will grant one.

Ian.