stuff Glenn wants to clean up, and how to do it

[bruce@pixar.com (Bruce Perens)]

From: Glenn Bily <gvb@elentari.cs.wcu.edu>
> What is the fine line between a library such as libc.so.5, libm.so.5 or
> libcurses.a and just a compiled object file?

If I had my druthers I'd clean lots of stuff like that up.
The task is a lot more complicated than that, because you
are working with other people. You need to:

    + Figure out how to get from point A to point B in gentle steps that
      don't break _everything_. Otherwise lots of people will dig in their
      heels on this sort of change.

    + Cultivate patience. You can't get stuff like this done without the
      patience to watch it happening for years.

    + Establish your own credibility with the people who help make the
      decisions (like the FHS group) by presenting intelligent dialogue
      on other topics for months. Once you've done that, it's easier to
      get them to listen to argument on your own pet projects.

    + Lead only where the others will follow.

    + Detach yourself emotionally from the issue. I can't overstress this.
      I'd be a hopeless basket case if I let myself get emotional over
      decisions made for Debian. Just ask the developers what it was like
      when I last got that way.

You can achieve the goal of getting things organized in a more sensible
manner. You can not achieve it tomorrow, unless you go off and make your
own system (which I would not advise because of the leading where people
will follow thing).

	Thanks

	Bruce