Re: [PATCH] x86/kconfig/32: Make CONFIG_VM86 default to n and remove EXPERT

[Andy Lutomirski <luto@amacapital.net>]

On Thu, Jul 9, 2015 at 11:51 AM, Arjan van de Ven <arjan@linux.intel.com> wrote:
> On 7/9/2015 11:40 AM, Andy Lutomirski wrote:
>>
>> VM86 is entirely broken if ptrace, syscall auditing, or NOHZ_FULL is
>> in use.  The code is a big undocumented mess, it's a real PITA to
>> test, and it looks like a big chunk of vm86_32.c is dead code.  It
>> also plays awful games with the entry asm.
>>
>> No one should be using it anyway.  Use DOSBOX or KVM instead.
>>
>> Let's accelerate its slow death.  Remove it from EXPERT and default
>> it to n.  Distros should not enable it.  In the unlikely event that
>> some user needs it, they can easily re-enable it.
>>
>> I've confirmed that 'make oldconfig' will set leave it set to y, so
>> there should be little or no unexpected breakage from this change.
>>
>
> I would rather do BOTH the default n AND the EXPERT
>
> e.g. the existing hurdle of EXPERT combined with the default
> (e.g. off entirely in non-EXPERT, and with EXPERT it is sill defaulting to
> =n)
>
>

I figured we could do this for a release or two, then move it into
EXPERT.  But I'd be fine with your suggestion, too.

Ingo, Linus?

--Andy


-- 
Andy Lutomirski
AMA Capital Management, LLC