Message-ID: <36918.10.10.10.10.1125889201.squirrel@linux1>
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    <20050905022943.46272.qmail@web50203.mail.yahoo.com>
Date: Sun, 4 Sep 2005 23:00:01 -0400 (EDT)
Subject: re: RFC: i386: kill !4KSTACKS
From: "Sean" <seanlkml@sympatico.ca>
To: "Alex Davis" <alex14641@yahoo.com>
Cc: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
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On Sun, September 4, 2005 10:29 pm, Alex Davis said:

> Linux isn't just used by kernel developers. It's that attitude that
> helps insure Linux will always have a small userbase. Lack of numbers
> just gives the manufacturers another reason not to care about us. Joe
> User doesn't care about our philosophical issues, nor should he. When
> I install Linux on someone's machine, he wants it to work NOW, not in
> some 'perfect-world' future.

Alex,

I think you're wrong on just about all counts.  The developers get to
_dictate_ what goes into Linux because they're footing the bill.  Their
past performance shows that your worries are unfounded (as the vast
acceptance of Linux long _before_ binary-only drivers even existed,
shows).

Please stop the hand wringing over not being able to convince Joe User to
install Linux today.  It will happen naturally when it's appropriate,
Linux is steadily growing in power and acceptance without binary drivers. 
 Trying to artificially speed up the process by destroying the very thing
that makes Linux an important force is actually counterproductive.

It's not a philosophical issue, it's what Linux _is_: an open source
operating system!   That's what the developers are working on; not your
half-baked vision.  If you want to create some bastardized version and are
willing to commit dollars and effort to maintaining the code needed to do
so, feel free.

Regards,
Sean


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