[Date Prev][Date Next] [Thread Prev][Thread Next] [Date Index] [Thread Index]

Re: HURD/Linux/BSD* ... Loosing focus.



On Tue, May 21, 2002 at 11:46:52AM -0400, Michael Stone wrote:
> You're wrong again. Doesn't seem to me that any decision has been made
> or that the hurd developers have changed anything. I guess you misread
> "has forced hurd to abandon"--because I don't see that the hurd's been
> forced to do anything in your example.

Not for lack of trying on your part.

You seriously need to get over this mindless anti-Hurd bias.  Operating
systems are not football teams.  Debian is large enough to accomodate
more than one kernel.  Let the *BSD and Hurd ports toil away in a
labortatory-style environment -- which means relaxing the rules a little
bit -- until they're ready to operate on the Debian release timetable.

Two simple rules of thumb:

1) If a Debian developer asks you to patch your package so as to improve
its portability, whether on the basis of machine architecture,
underlying OS kernel, endianness issue, or whatever, you should take
that request seriously.  You should go ahead and apply it if you can
determine that it does not (adversely) change the package's behavior on
its already-supported platforms.

2) If the Hurd or BSD developers want to experiment with modifications
to the FHS in pursuit of a higher goal[1] (a better, more consistent, and
more logical operating environment for users and programs), and they're
not asking you to change how your package is laid out today, you need to
not give a fuck about it.  If and when Hurd, BSD, or other developers
want sanctioned deviations from the FHS or other aspects of Debian
policy, there is an appropriate forum for such issues, and that's the
Debian Policy group.  Until then, they understand that they have no
prayer of tarnishing the Debian operating system's track record of 100%
compliance with its own Policy Manual[2] by being permitted to release.

If your concept of Debian doesn't have room for kernels[3] other than
Linux, then Debian doesn't have room for you.  Go away.

If you are having difficulty distinguishing code from personalities, I
suggest you killfile Jeroen Dekkers and go about your business.  That he
appears to have far more time for arguing than coding should not be
indictment of other people who happen to work on projects that he
advocates.  It's a good thing Jeroen isn't some sort of raving advocate
for XFree86, or perhaps sure you'd be calling for the removal of XFree86
from Debian.  Aristotle gave you logic.  Apply it.

[1] Lest we forget, the FHS is not an end in itself.  It is a means to
an end.  Review <URL:http://www.pathname.com/fhs/2.2/fhs-1.1.html>.
If you want a religious text, I suggest you turn to something other than
standards documents.

[2] This must be the case since people seem to be far more concerned
about the Hurd's policy violations than those that would actually be
releasing in Debian 3.0.

[3] or kernel-replacing technology :)

-- 
G. Branden Robinson                |
Debian GNU/Linux                   |     Music is the brandy of the damned.
branden@debian.org                 |     -- George Bernard Shaw
http://people.debian.org/~branden/ |

Attachment: pgpI8ItyS9Xfj.pgp
Description: PGP signature


Reply to: