Return-Path: Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org via listexpand id ; Thu, 20 Dec 2001 14:46:09 -0500 Received: (majordomo@vger.kernel.org) by vger.kernel.org id ; Thu, 20 Dec 2001 14:45:51 -0500 Received: from dsl254-112-233.nyc1.dsl.speakeasy.net ([216.254.112.233]:3210 "EHLO snark.thyrsus.com") by vger.kernel.org with ESMTP id ; Thu, 20 Dec 2001 14:45:09 -0500 Date: Thu, 20 Dec 2001 14:32:47 -0500 From: "Eric S. Raymond" To: Linux Kernel List Subject: Configure.help editorial policy Message-ID: <20011220143247.A19377@thyrsus.com> Reply-To: esr@thyrsus.com Mail-Followup-To: "Eric S. Raymond" , Linux Kernel List Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Disposition: inline User-Agent: Mutt/1.2.5i Organization: Eric Conspiracy Secret Labs X-Eric-Conspiracy: There is no conspiracy Sender: linux-kernel-owner@vger.kernel.org X-Mailing-List: linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org I guess it's a pretty quiet week in kernel-hacker land. Must be, otherwise people would have better things to do than argue over KB vs. KiB. The alternative would be to conclude that significant portions of the lkml population prefer flaming to coding, and that couldn't possibly be the case, could it? Let me make a couple of things clear: I am by no means in love with the new abbreviations described at . I have the same reflexes as the rest of you -- they kind of make me want to gag. If there is a clear consensus from lkml, I will be happy to back out this change. Perhaps this terminological standard does not meet a real need, perhaps it will be rejected by most engineers and deserves to wither on the vine. It's happened before. However. In the *absence* of a clear consensus, I will follow best practices. Best practice in editing a technical or standards document is to (a) avoid ambiguous usages, seek clarity and precision; and (b) to use, follow and reference international standards. In fact, the first time David Woodhouse submitted this change, some months ago, I rejected it. I have since, reluctantly, concluded that I was wrong to do so. So when he re-submitted, I merged in the patch. My personal esthetic distaste for the new terminology (gack! "kibi" sounds like something I would feed my cat!) is less important than following best practices. I'm hoping it will seem less ugly as it becomes more familiar. I don't like my duty much in this instance. But my duty is clear. -- Eric S. Raymond "As to the species of exercise, I advise the gun. While this gives [only] moderate exercise to the body, it gives boldness, enterprise, and independence to the mind. Games played with the ball and others of that nature, are too violent for the body and stamp no character on the mind. Let your gun, therefore, be the constant companion to your walks." -- Thomas Jefferson, writing to his teenaged nephew. - To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org More majordomo info at http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html Please read the FAQ at http://www.tux.org/lkml/