Re: The direction linux is taking

Alan Cox
2001-12-18T14:54:54Z

> > 1. Are we satisfied with the source code control system ?
>
> Yes. Alan (2.2) and Marcelo (2.4) and Linus (2.5) are doing
> a good job with source control.

Not really. We do a passable job. Stuff gets dropped, lost,
deferred and forgotten, applied when it conflicts with other work
- much of this stuff that software wouldnt actually improve on over a
person

> Although this seems annoying, it's just one facet of the
> primary difference between Linux and a commercially based
> kernel : if you want to know how something works and how
> it's being developed, then you MUST participate, in this
> and other mailing lists.

That wont help you - most discussion occurs in private because l/k
is too noisy and many key people dont read it.

> > 3. There is no central bug tracking database. At least people
> > should know the status of the bugs they have found with some
> > releases.
>
> There is no central product, so there can be no central bug track.
> (see below)

Rubbish. Ask the engineering world about fault tracking. You won't get
"different products no central flaw tracking" you'll get extensive cross
correlation, statistical tools and the like in any syste, where reliability
matters

Many kernel bug reports end up invisible to some of the developers.

Alan