Re: Disgusted with kbuild developers

Nicolas Pitre
2002-02-16T00:15:30Z

On Fri, 15 Feb 2002, Eric S. Raymond wrote:

> Dave Jones <davej@suse.de>:
> > The point being made is that you constantly refuse to listen.
> > You ask for an opinion, and when something comes back that isn't
> > what you expect, you run off and write something completely
> > different just to appease some fabled Aunt Tilley, then come
> > back and say "Ok, how about now?".
>
> I honestly don't undestand how this myth got started, Dave.
>
> >From my point of view, I have been busting my ass trying to *extract*
> requirements from Linus and other people with a stake. What guidance
> I get is vague and contradictory. My proposals to address it get ignored.
> Everything I do right gets written off and teensy side issues get
> inflated into monsters.
>
> It's utterly maddening to hear people accuse me of not listening when
> I spend so damn much effort trying to do what they want for so little
> reward...

Eric....

Again... Just like I said to you in private email...

Show us that you're able to write a 1 for 1 functional correspondance
between CML1 and CML2 and propose that for inclusion into 2.5. This will
already have the advantage of using a common engine to parse the config
language regardless of the frontend used, along with the readability and
compactness of CML2. This should not cause a too big cultural change.

Wait for a month or two while developers get used to it. Then and only then
could you start discussion about advanced CML2 possibilities and features.
REmember that Linux development only works like a car that you propose
individual parts individually and let people comment on them. Providing the
whole car already assembled with a "turn key" package simply doesn't work
with most car hackers.

As a bonus to further stimulate acceptance of CML2, make it work with the
tools that most people already have i.e. Python 1.5.

Nicolas