Re: A modest proposal -- We need a patch penguin

Hans Reiser
2002-02-23T01:09:32Z

We need to move from discussing whether Linus can scale to whether the
Linux Community can scale.

Every organization needs to have clearly defined algorithms for
determining what work is done by who. For the linux community, our work
consists in part of reviewing patches. Incoherent inconsistent
delegation is the only reason why we are having scaling problems. We
have a consistent recurring problem (yes, I know, a few lucky folks like
me don't have this problem, but it is clear to see that WE as a
community have this problem).

It is important that there be a consistent feeling among patch
submitters that they know where to send their patches for
acceptance/rejection. There should be NO patches which go out, and not
even a rejection comes back.

Every organization has clearly defined procedures for allocating the
flow of work. It is called a management structure. That is what we
need, and we need a formal well defined and externally visible one. An
informal undefined network of friends is just not suitable for an
organization where the flow of email is as large as it is in the Linux
Community.

Linus, I would like you to stop saying that you cannot scale to where
you can read every email, and start determining what it takes to make
the Linux Community infrastructure underneath you responsive to patches.
Bitkeeper is a great start, but you also need to create a management
structure and interface that is clearly defined to the external
community. Saying that the maintainers list is ignored by you means
that you need to create something that is not ignored by you. You also
need to create a system (bitkeeper can perhaps help, Larry?) for
tracking who fails to respond to patches, and (after a few warnings)
remove them as maintainers.

Our problems are not novel. Let us apply standard business school
methodologies to them.

Hans