From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 From: Tomi Manninen Subject: Re: ax25-apps/-tools: clarification about the project status Date: Sun, 25 Jan 2009 23:29:29 +0200 Message-ID: <497CD9B9.4090500@sral.fi> References: <20090125144334.GA9629@x-berg.in-berlin.de> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Return-path: In-Reply-To: <20090125144334.GA9629@x-berg.in-berlin.de> Sender: linux-hams-owner@vger.kernel.org List-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format="flowed" To: ax25@x-berg.in-berlin.de Cc: linux-hams@vger.kernel.org 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