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how we document kernel software architecture



  [mouse asks about MPSAFE and drivers]

Indeed, the design for how this works in the kernel is really hard to
figure out.

I wonder if it belongs in section 9, or as a document in the source
tree, or perhaps just some huge comments.

In particular, the way the kernel lock works needs better explanation,
all in one place, of what the grand plan is.  The notion that it's
special and released on sleeping, taken in interrupts, etc. makes sense
once understood, but it's far from expected.  A similar issue, probably
not so hard, is the softnet lock.  I'd like to see it much better
documented which data structures (variables in memory) are protected by
which locks.

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