Bug#914897: debating the wrong thing

[Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk>]

Ansgar Burchardt writes ("Bug#914897: debating the wrong thing"):
> It is very demotivating to have discussed and implemented something
> mostly years ago, for people then to come and complain "let's not do
> this at all" years later.

We were told it would be optional.  Unfortunately it turns out that
the design is broken and it cannot sensibly be made optional.
It is not the responsibility of the wider community to review your
design for an optional feature.

Nor does a failure to review and object to your design of an optional
feature mean that you are entitled to assume consent for making the
feature default or mandatory.

Debian is full of optional features.  I'm sure many of them are broken
in one way or another.  Obviously one can't spend one's life going
round trying to abolish everything one thinks is somehow broken, or
foolish.  That would be really nasty.

The problem comes when a niche optional feature, with wide-ranging
implications, is suddenly promoted to the default, without proper
consultation and without a proper transition plan.

Ian.

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