[openib-general] Re: [PATCH][RFC/v2][1/21] Add core InfiniBand support (public headers)

[Roland Dreier]

    shaharf> OK, I accept that for most IB types and structures, but
    shaharf> what about ib_user_mad structure & header?

    shaharf> I suggest exposing that header to the user space (like
    shaharf> many other files, asm/errno for example), or
    shaharf> alternatively to use only well known structures for the
    shaharf> device (I am not sure if that is feasible).

/usr/include/asm/errno.h does not come directly from the kernel.  It
is sanitized and packaged as part of glibc, and even this use is
largely due to historical reasons.  Adding more such dependencies on
kernel headers is not the right way forward.

It would make sense for OpenIB to ship a package like "libibmad" that
has all the headers required for using the ib_umad module.  Userspace
and the kernel need to agree on the ABI, obviously, but physicaly
sharing the same .h file ends up creating more problems than it solves.

 - Roland