Re: [ 00/19] 3.10.1-stable review

Linus Torvalds
2013-07-15T18:17:06Z

On Mon, Jul 15, 2013 at 11:04 AM, Sarah Sharp
<sarah.a.sharp@linux.intel.com> wrote:
>
> However, I am serious about this. Linus, you're one of the worst
> offenders when it comes to verbally abusing people and publicly tearing
> their emotions apart.

Yes. And I do it partly (mostly) because it's who I am, and partly
because I honestly despise being subtle or "nice".

The fact is, people need to know what my position on things are. And I
can't just say "please don't do that", because people won't listen. I
say "On the internet, nobody can hear you being subtle", and I mean
it.

And I definitely am not willing to string people along, either. I've
had that happen too - not telling people clearly enough that I don't
like their approach, they go on to re-architect something, and get
really upset when I am then not willing to take their work.

Sarah, first off, I don't have that many tools at hand. Secondly, I
simply don't believe in being polite or politically correct. And you
can point at all those cultural factors where some cultures are not
happy with confrontation (and feel free to make it about gender too -
I think that's almost entirely cultural too). And please bring up
"cultural sensitivity" while at it. And I'll give you back that same
"cultural sensitivity". Please be sensitive to _my_ culture too.

Google "management by perkele".

Do you really want to oppress a minority? Because Finns are a minority
compared to almost any other country. If you want to talk cultural
sensitivity, I'll join you. But my culture includes cursing.

And some of the above is written tonge-in-cheek, but all of it is also
serious. I really fundamentally believe that being honest and open
about your emotions about core/process is good. And because it's damn
hard to read people over email, I think you need to be *more* honest
and *more* open over email. I'm generally nicer in person. Not always.

And yes, I'll happily be part of the discussion at the KS. But I think
you also need to be aware that your "high horse" isn't necessarily all
that high.

Linus