Re: Accountability

Colin McCormack (colin@field.medicine.adelaide.edu.au)
Wed, 15 Sep 1999 02:48:59 +1000


> On Wed, Sep 15, 1999 at 01:58:02AM +1000, Colin McCormack wrote:
>> Although I am not the author of the work in question, if it was me, I'd be
>> looking for some reasoned feedback as to why it's not in the kernel
already,
>> otherwise I'd become rapidly disenchanted, discouraged and demotivated.
>
>> I doubt that's good for Linux.
>>

> I think your taking this a little too far. Things don't just magically
> appear in the kernel. The author needs to submit it in a suitable fashion
> for inclusion.

I don't think I was implicitly relying upon magic to get it into the kernel.

Let's look at what `suitable fashion' might mean, in this context:

1) We know it can't be a .bz file, because
http://kernelnotes.org/lnxlists/linux-kernel/lk_9908_05/msg00250.html

2) We know that it can't be picked from a CVS archive, or packaged as a
release from an archive, because
http://kt.linuxcare.com/kt19990819_31.html#9

3) We know that it can't be sent any time in the next two weeks, because
http://kernelnotes.org/lnxlists/linux-kernel/lk_9909_02/msg00460.html

I just don't see much there to do with the stability, cleanliness and solidity
criteria Alan mentioned a couple of posts back. In fact, these reasons have
nothing to do with why people use Linux, and an N-year delay in a minor patch
is a pretty clear sign that something's awry.

I'm reminded of when Andrew Tanenbaum discouraged Bruce Evans and me from
working on a multi-threaded file system for Minix because it'd reduce the
pedagogic value of Minix.

We know what happened then.

> So the answer might be as simple as "The author never tried
> to get it included", have you even asked the author about this and does
> s/he even _want_ it in the kernel?

Yes, I asked. Yes, the author has posted patches. He's probably too polite.

Colin.

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