Re: [PATCH] tools/mm: Add madvise tool

[Lorenzo Stoakes <lorenzo.stoakes@oracle.com>]

On Fri, Sep 05, 2025 at 12:56:24PM +0200, Michal Hocko wrote:
> I am not questioning usefulness of the tool itself.
>
> > I think it's useful to keep in sync with kernel as if we add more remote process
> > madvise functionality this can be updated with it.
>
> I just do not see any value in having it in the tree. It doesn't use (or
> rely on) any kernel infrastructure and it can happily live outside of
> the tree. New madvise functionality requires a runtime support rather
> than a support in the current source tree.

True, and actually given the fact it's using standard headers it's actually
reliant on the host system knowing about new MADV_xxx anyway.

So actually on reflection no lockstep is required at all here.

>
> We are certainly not pulling in other potentially useful tools
> into the kernel tree in for some it was even really hard/impossible to
> be merged yet they would benefit from a close lockstep with kernel
> sources.

Yeah indeed.

Cheers, Lorenzo