From: Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@leemhuis.info>
To: Jonathan Corbet <corbet@lwn.net>
Cc: workflows@vger.kernel.org, linux-doc@vger.kernel.org,
regressions@lists.linux.dev, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: [PATCH v1 15/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on classifying the bug
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 2025 13:42:06 +0100 [thread overview]
Message-ID: <72dc704c18af85ea8b5a80b9c3714588235d0797.1761481839.git.linux@leemhuis.info> (raw)
In-Reply-To: <cover.1761481839.git.linux@leemhuis.info>
Fine-tune the instructions about classifying the bug.
This drops support for "really severe problems", this is a rare special
case not woth spending much thought on.
Signed-off-by: Thorsten Leemhuis <linux@leemhuis.info>
---
.../admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst | 62 +++++++++----------
1 file changed, 29 insertions(+), 33 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst
index 623feb55caae97..be0e49046ec913 100644
--- a/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst
+++ b/Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst
@@ -128,10 +128,13 @@ following the others is usually in your own interest.
[:ref:`details <checkloreone_repiref>`]
+.. _specialtreat_repisbs:
- * See if the issue you are dealing with qualifies as regression, security
- issue, or a really severe problem: those are 'issues of high priority' that
- need special handling in some steps that are about to follow.
+* Evaluate if the issue you are dealing with qualifies as a regression or
+ security issue, as those receive special treatment in some of the following
+ steps.
+
+ [:ref:`details <specialtreat_repiref>`]
* Create a fresh backup and put system repair and restore tools at hand.
@@ -647,37 +650,30 @@ While doing so, keep in mind:
[:ref:`back to step-by-step guide <checkloreone_repisbs>`]
-Issue of high priority?
------------------------
+.. _specialtreat_repiref:
+
+Issues receiving special treatment
+----------------------------------
+
+ *Evaluate if the issue you are dealing with qualifies as a regression or
+ security issue, as those* [:ref:`... <specialtreat_repisbs>`]
+
+Check if you face an issue that receives special treatment in the Linux
+development process:
+
+* You deal with a regression, if some application or practical use case running
+ fine with one Linux kernel version works worse or not at all with a newer
+ version compiled using a similar configuration; the 'no regression' rule
+ forbids that. The document
+ Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-regressions.rst explains these and
+ additional aspects in more detail, but everything important is covered in
+ this document.
+
+* What qualifies as a security issue is left to your judgment. Consider reading
+ Documentation/process/security-bugs.rst before proceeding, which
+ provides instructions on handling security issues.
- *See if the issue you are dealing with qualifies as regression, security
- issue, or a really severe problem: those are 'issues of high priority' that
- need special handling in some steps that are about to follow.*
-
-Linus Torvalds and the leading Linux kernel developers want to see some issues
-fixed as soon as possible, hence there are 'issues of high priority' that get
-handled slightly differently in the reporting process. Three type of cases
-qualify: regressions, security issues, and really severe problems.
-
-You deal with a regression if some application or practical use case running
-fine with one Linux kernel works worse or not at all with a newer version
-compiled using a similar configuration. The document
-Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-regressions.rst explains this in more
-detail. It also provides a good deal of other information about regressions you
-might want to be aware of; it for example explains how to add your issue to the
-list of tracked regressions, to ensure it won't fall through the cracks.
-
-What qualifies as security issue is left to your judgment. Consider reading
-Documentation/process/security-bugs.rst before proceeding, as it
-provides additional details how to best handle security issues.
-
-An issue is a 'really severe problem' when something totally unacceptably bad
-happens. That's for example the case when a Linux kernel corrupts the data it's
-handling or damages hardware it's running on. You're also dealing with a severe
-issue when the kernel suddenly stops working with an error message ('kernel
-panic') or without any farewell note at all. Note: do not confuse a 'panic' (a
-fatal error where the kernel stop itself) with a 'Oops' (a recoverable error),
-as the kernel remains running after the latter.
+[:ref:`back to step-by-step guide <specialtreat_repisbs>`]
Prepare for emergencies
--
2.51.0
next prev parent reply other threads:[~2025-10-26 12:42 UTC|newest]
Thread overview: 43+ messages / expand[flat|nested] mbox.gz Atom feed top
2025-10-26 12:41 [PATCH v1 00/30] docs: reporting-issues: rework Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 01/30] docs: reporting-issues: mention text is best viewed rendered Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-27 17:18 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-27 21:19 ` Randy Dunlap
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 02/30] docs: reporting-issues: tweak the reference section intro Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-27 17:27 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 03/30] docs: reporting-issues: add conclusion to the step-by-step guide Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-27 17:29 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 04/30] docs: reporting-issues: add proper appendix Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-27 17:38 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 05/30] docs: reporting-issues: outline why reporting is complicated Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-27 17:44 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 06/30] docs: reporting-issues: replace TLDR guide with more of an into Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-28 21:32 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 07/30] docs: reporting-issues: explain need for fresh vanilla kernel Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-28 21:40 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:41 ` [PATCH v1 08/30] docs: reporting-issues: add step about processing issues separately Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-28 21:42 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 09/30] docs: reporting-issues: tell users to check the kernel log Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-28 21:43 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 10/30] docs: reporting-issues: move 'check tainted flag' upwards Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-28 21:47 ` Jonathan Corbet
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 11/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve first tainted check Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 12/30] docs: reporting-issues: move 'check environment' upwards Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 13/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve environment check Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 14/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text about checking for existing issues Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` Thorsten Leemhuis [this message]
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 16/30] docs: reporting-issues: add fast-track for regressions Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 17/30] docs: reporting-issues: move text on 'check MAINTAINERS file' upwards Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 18/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on looking up place to report Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 19/30] docs: reporting-issues: move text on 'check other places' upwards Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 20/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on check other places Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 21/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on backup et. al Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 22/30] docs: reporting-issues: move text on 'initial write-up' upwards Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 23/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on initial write-up Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 24/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on bug verification Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 25/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on non-regressions in stable Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 26/30] docs: reporting-issues: improve text on second search Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 27/30] docs: reporting-issues: make collecting files a separate step Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 28/30] docs: reporting-issues: separate steps for optimizing and submitting reports Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 29/30] docs: reporting-issues: separate steps for follow-up tasks Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-26 12:42 ` [PATCH v1 30/30] docs: reporting-issues: fix a few line breaks Thorsten Leemhuis
2025-10-27 17:16 ` [PATCH v1 00/30] docs: reporting-issues: rework Jonathan Corbet
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