Re: on forming a new Linux Distribution
From: Martin Schulze <joey@kuolema.Infodrom.North.DE>
> What I read from Bruce here recalls a discussion on linux-kernel where
> Linus made the following statement:
> Ooh, mommy, mommy, what I have now doesn't work in this extremely
> unlikely circumstance, so I'll just throw it away and write
> something jcompletely new.
> -- Linus Torvalds
It doesn't seem to match the current circumstance. I'm not proposing to
throw away Debian, but to address a different target from Debian. Splitting
off sounds a lot gentler than pulling a Boris Yeltsin.
[ Focus on the user issue ]
> This is the case for a lot of debian developers, not for all of them,
> I have to admit.
I think it's too large a number for me to go against.
> This implicates a lot of projects the single project can't fulfil. It
> also includes some goals that it may fulfil.
Obviously, we can't do everything by ourselves. We can provide a framework
to support the work of others.
> Please tell us where we have to improve our mechanisms according to
> your oppinion.
Oh gosh, you're not serious, are you? My solution would be rather draconian.
The alternative I've chosen is much better than a draconian one.
> What is mainstream? Rpm might be mainstream as most other
> distribution have chosen it as their package manager. Hey, this
> doesn't make it any better,
We seem to have established that it's functionaly equivalent to dpkg.
It can use a better user interface.
> MS Windows is mainstream, too.
And you should know that we'd love to have a WINE or TWIN that worked.
That would make lots of users happy, and a free-software Windows system
would not necessarily be technically bad one.
> Obviously, the easiest way to do that is to derive from Red Hat.
> If so I feel offended that you posted this on the debian-* lists and
> not on redhat-*
Oh, they'll hear about it too. I do still get mail from the "please come
back" folks on debian-devel, you know. I don't think coming back is a
realistic option, Debian and I are going in opposite directions.
> Isnt' there already a distribution based on Debian?
No, there isn't. Somebody took a little of our stuff for some French
dist, but it's not Debian.
> Wasn't this one of the reasons Mike Neuffer and Dominik Kubla left?
Yes, but their project did not succeed. Dominik was the only worker and
had no time.
> I don't think you seconded that goal at that time.
Gee, maybe I should have. Can't I change my mind in 3 years?
>> 4. Maintaining the Open Source standard of Linux.
> Cool idea but this breaks 1. (Focus on the User, remember?).
I don't believe that. Yes, some stuff needs improvement or replacement
(like LyX), but free software is pretty fundamental to other goals of the
project. Let the derivers add the non-free stuff.
Thanks
Bruce
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