Re: IFF_OACTIVE -- is it still relevant?

[mlelstv%serpens.de@localhost (Michael van Elst)]

gdt%lexort.com@localhost (Greg Troxel) writes:

>Given all that, it was part of the if_ethersubr/if_foo interface, but if
>if_start can't rely on not being called if it's set, then I don't see
>the point.

It's an optimization. Checking a flag is cheaper than possibily
checking hardware and acquiring access locks. The network layer
doesn't necessarily know how efficient a network driver is.

Of course you can replicate that optimization into every driver
(most already have something almost as efficient) and of course it
doesn't model interfaces with multiple queues correctly. But
as an interface it's better handled by something in the network
layer.

-- 
-- 
                                Michael van Elst
Internet: mlelstv%serpens.de@localhost
                                "A potential Snark may lurk in every tree."