RFC: eliminate gif(4) Tx softint(9)

[Kengo NAKAHARA <k-nakahara%iij.ad.jp@localhost>]

Hi,

I have reconsidered and researched gif(4) implementation, as a result
I think gif(4) Tx softint(9) should be eliminated. That is, the
following patch is required.
    http://www.netbsd.org/~knakahara/gif-direct-output/gif-direct-output.patch
I tested this patch by ATF and some gif(4) workload.

gif(4) Tx softint(9) is introduced by if_gif.c:r1.33 which is contributed
by KAME project. I ask my co-worker who was a member of the project, he
says "there must be no reason that gif(4) Tx must use softint. They
just wanted to use softint as it had been just implemented." Hmm, it
seems gif(4) Tx softint(9) can be eliminated.

Another point of view, each gif(4) establishes one Tx softint(9) handler,
that is, if 100 gif(4)s are created and set tunnel address, 100 softint(9)
handlers are established. That would cause harmful effect to softint(9)
processing. So, I think gif(4) Tx softint(9) should be eliminated.

Thoughts?
Or, does anyone know why gif(4) Tx processing uses softint(9)?


Thanks,

-- 
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
Internet Initiative Japan Inc.

Device Engineering Section,
IoT Platform Development Department,
Network Division,
Technology Unit

Kengo NAKAHARA <k-nakahara%iij.ad.jp@localhost>