Re: Re; MTD (2) Block Driver broken

[David Woodhouse <dwmw2@infradead.org>]

On Mon, 2005-03-07 at 20:57 +0000, Gareth Bult wrote:
> On Mon, 2005-03-07 at 20:21 +0000, David Woodhouse wrote:
> > On Mon, 2005-03-07 at 20:00 +0100, Jörn Engel wrote:
> > > o You want your name removed.
> > > o You will have your name removed.
> > > o I'm left wondering why you submitted the code in the first place.
> > 
> > Er, because he'd done the work and figured it might be useful to others.
> > For which we are grateful, Gareth. Please don't be discouraged. You
> > aren't obliged to maintain the code for ever just because you posted it
> > once.
> 
> Oh, I'm not discouraged. What I have works for now.
> 
> I did a fair bit of work while writing the driver and had every
> intention of tidying it up, commenting it etc etc.
> 
> Then I got an email from the list telling me that what I'd posted was
> unacceptable and had been rejected. Furthermore it was telling me what I
> could and couldn't post and how I should format my emails and
> effectively, that I should read and follow a set of posting instructions
> specific to the linux-mtd list.
> 
> All things considered. I was offended.

I apologise for that. I don't mean to offend anyone -- and any messages
'from the list' come from me, originally. 

If there was criticism of the code, it was meant constructively -- we
can be very picky at times, but it's certainly not meant to offend;
we're just perfectionists.

I think we have to agree to disagree on the rules for posting. The page
to which you were referred (http://david.woodhou.se/email.html) wasn't
specific to this list -- it gives guidelines for polite use of email
under _all_ circumstances, with only the last point being specific to
Linux kernel related lists. By being strict about them, we _do_ keep the
signal:noise ratio down, and I think it's worth it overall.

To see the advantages, you only have to look at the noise on certain
other lists where people do get away with posting whatever crap they
like. It's not as if you were asked to do anything particularly onerous,
surely? But again, if you were offended by being asked to conform to
what we consider to be common netiquette, then I apologise. I can only
point out that others would be offended if we let it happen -- if not
directly by the posts in question, then by the fact that the developers
who can be most useful in answering questions and fixing bugs start to
pay less attention because of the noise.

> > It is common for people to want to take credit for their work -- and
> > thankfully it's not so common for us to screw it up for them immediately
> > after they submit it either :)
> 
> Sure, generally I have no problem taking credit for my work. However I
> made it fairly clear (I thought) to Jorn at the time that I wanted
> nothing more to do with it.

That's OK -- but still I suspect it was just such an alien attitude that
we didn't quite believe you :)

Jörn screwed up your code, but seems to have fixed it now. He's removed
your name at your request, but if you want it put back now that the code
appears to be working, just say the word. Personally, I'm much happier
giving credit where it's due.

-- 
dwmw2