Re: ax25-apps/-tools: clarification about the project status

[Tomi Manninen <oh2bns@sral.fi>]

Hi all,

I haven't had anything AX.25 related running for several years
now, and I don't feel very strongly about the development.
However, I think I need to comment a few things Thomas said.

Thomas Osterried wrote:

> linux-hams is a mixed mailing-list for all kind of ham related linux
> applications, kernel problems, beginner questions, etc.
> 
> And in the special case of issues with libax25, ax25-apps and
> ax25-tools, it's doubtless *one* possible place in the world where
> problems and solutions *may* be discussed.

Right from the start (or at least from very early on) and many many
years after, linux-hams@vger was _the_ place to discuss Linux AX.25.

A separate (invitation only) dev-hams was founded at some point,
mainly to be able to keep people like Alan in the loop. Back
then, linux-hams was a moderately high volume mailing list and
the signal to noise ratio was considerably lower than today.

But still, _this_ was always _the_ list. "Everything" happened here.

 > We're sure you understand that it's not possible for us to follow and
 > participate in all discussions in all the known and all the unkonwn
 > places in cyberspace.
 > Btw, if more users whould have acted as informer, we'd have visited
 > that place.

That is understood. But why you (seemingly) chose to abandon this
list, I don't quite understand. At least nowadays this is a very
low bandwidth list and I think it was pretty much so at the time
Ralf took over.

I don't know where the discussion happens nowadays (if not here).
Apparently quite a few other people don't know it either, judging
by the messages on this list.

If you choose to set up a new place to discuss, that is of course
just fine. But you can not expect people to just follow. And it
might be just me, but _I_ haven't noticed an announcement saying
that this list has ceased to be The Place, and from now on
discussion is at the mailing list xxx *) at yyy...

> But here's the point where your own responsibility starts: if you find
> a bug, if you have problems compiling or configuring, if you need a
> new feature, if you have traced a problem down, if you luckily have a
> patch, if you like to contribute, then *please* send an e-mail to us,
> the maintainers of the software!

Couldn't agree more. And I too have seen this. At least in the
ham radio world, an open source developer is rather lonely.
For example with LinuxNode, I knew there were several spin-offs
out there, but _none_ of the spin-off developers ever contacted me.

But again I have to say, from the point of view of someone that
is not all that interested in the stuff anymore, and _only_
follows this mailing list, you gyus have kept quite a low profile...

> We really cannot understand,

And that is why I wrote this.

I have nothing but the greatest respect of what you are doing.
It is good to see that things are not dead and I just hope
that some of the stuff I have done in the past is helpful
in what you do now.

So please take this email as constructive critisism and a
possible explanation for the things you see. I don't know
why other people have not contacted you, but I must say
that if I were to activate myself and do some development
work for Linux AX.25, _this_ would be the place I would send
patches for review. I might remember to CC Ralf, but not
necessarily. Sorry.

73, Tomi

*) Like I said, I don't feel very strongly about linux ax.25
anymore, but I do feel _very_ strongly about using wikis and
web forums for discussion on open source software. It sucks!
I just hope that isn't happening here...

-- 
Tomi Manninen / OH2BNS / KP20JE01FK