Re: tlug: The Myth of Open Source Security

[Christopher Sekiya <wileyc@example.com>]

On Fri, Jun 02, 2000 at 05:29:51PM +0900, Stephen J. Turnbull wrote:

>     wile y> Hell, support for non-intel platforms has seriously
>     wile y> suffered in the 2.3.x tree (but this will the the subject
>     wile y> of a separate rant, essentially indicting RedHat for
>     wile y> determining the sparc hardware support priorities).
> 
> Well, whaddayaknow.

Time for the rant:

By hiring the core linux kernel developers, RedHat has in essence killed linux.

Think I'm exaggerating?  Read this:

   From: David S. Miller (davem@example.com)
   To: linux-sparc@example.com
   Date: Fri Mar 03 2000 - 18:03:30 EST
   Subject: Re: Giving up on RH on SPARC.

      Date: Fri, 03 Mar 2000 13:53:35 -0500
      From: "Steven J. Hill" <sjhill@example.com>
   
      Obviously RedHat does not spend much time supporting
      SPARC distribution like the Intel.
                  
   Actually, we mark sun4c as a lower tier supported system
   specifically because they are hard for us to support.
   I have only one SS2 here, and it's painful to work on
   although I try my best to keep it working.
     
   UltraSparc systems are tier 1 and well tested, and I run full stress
   test suits on all 10 UltraSparc systems I have here before we cut a
   release.
   
   This doesn't help your situation, I know. But I did not want
   everyone on this list to be left with the impression that every
   Sparc platform gets the low level of support that sun4c systems   
   do, because that really isn't true.
          
   Later,
   David S. Miller
   davem@example.com

(For those who don't already know, David Miller is the maintainer for the
linux sparc port -- and an employee of RedHat)

linux support for the sun4c (still a viable platform, mind) sucks because
RedHat has decided that it's not worthwhile to support.  How much longer does
the sun4m have before it's treated in a similar manner?

Big business and free software do not mix.  RedHat is dictating the terms of
sparc support[1].  This is NOT a good thing.

-- Chris

[1] I can hear the rebuttal now: "well, if you're that concerned about it, why
    don't you take-ownership-of-the-sun4c-port/submit-patches-to-Dave/
    stop-using-sparc-linux-you-traitor?"  If you have to ask, you're missing
    the point ...
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