Because the code is OK, but the _rationals_ in the commit message (union aliasing is bad) are not. This is for history. If someone, later, say: "We should use

Because the code is OK, but the _rationals_ in the commit message (union aliasing is bad) are not. This is for history. If someone, later, say: "We should use union aliasing to fix this", someone would argue "No, we shouldn't because we already states _there_ that union aliasing is bad". You can't consider a such amount of code like the kernel one without its commit history. Here Linus explain why union aliasing is not "bad" per see, but considered "bad" because the C standard say so and he clearly explain standards are not holy book and compiler implementation is as important (something he always states).