[U-Boot-Users] [RFD] Consistent debugging output structure

[Holger Schurig]

> Yes, I agree, new code should not introduce it's own  "#ifdef  DEBUG"
> stuff any more, but use debug() instead - but this is IMHO one of the
> "nice to have" issues, not a really important issue.

In Linux, Linus is sometimes making changes to Linux that breaks other 
drivers. He does so by intent, e.g. by renaming types/variables where the 
structure changed. He does also accept janitorial patches. If somebody then 
is angry and says "Change XYZ broke my driver" he simply says "So fix it".

In U-Boot, I have the perception that things happen differently. You say "new 
code should do it like this", but without changing the existing code. I guess 
you go this route so that you don't break code for some boards you don't 
have. I assume that over time this approach will lead to various ways on how 
to do things, maybe to old cruft lying around.

So, basically it's a tradeoff. Have clean code and pain. Or have not-so-clean 
code, possible with overhead, and less pain.