

"Why I quit" by Linux kernel developer Con Kolivas - nickb
http://apcmag.com/6735/interview_con_kolivas

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willarson
Pretty disheartening story to read. One of the greatest frustrations with open
source is that it, like all other human enterprises, eventually becomes a
matter of politics.

Reading the article it seems like the requirements of desktops and servers are
sufficiently different to deserve separate kernels. It certainly wasn't worth
his time to keep working with the kernel developers if they refused to fairly
examine his contributions.

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simpleenigma
I agree, this story is completely disheartening. The fact that ego's can get
in the way or a better more elegant design is basic human behaviour. I'd hope
to think that anyone who is designing a product for their end user would be
Abel to recognize that, but I suspect that is a bit too optimistic.

Although I think splitting the kernel into separate products for different
applications is a problem as well. What it really comes down to at that point
is where are you planning on taking your product?

Are you satisfied with a big market with large customers, or do you really
want a huge market with nearly unlimited small customers. f Linux really wants
to be on the desktop, they will have to moderate some of their features that
are enterprise only to make the desktop experience better.

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stuki
It would be interesting to see how MS's kernel differs between client OS's and
their servers. They have huge user camps both on the desktop and in
enterprises, both of which are major, strategically important profit centers.

The GPL pretty much ensure a server centric development model on Linux,
though. Most open source developers and supporters aren't quite so 'open' with
their own companies' source code, thus preferring to 'distribute' their apps
as web apps, requiring no source disclosure.

