Date: Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:49:03 +0200 From: Polytropon <freebsd@edvax.de> To: FreeBSD <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Lennart Poettering: BSD Isn't Relevant Anymore Message-ID: <20110718134903.993b87f5.freebsd@edvax.de> In-Reply-To: <20110718073000.29e89590@scorpio> References: <20110717071059.25971662@scorpio> <alpine.BSF.2.00.1107170928360.56712@Elmer.dco.penx.com> <CAKYr3zx3C5kwUaZQ82=d8U=uCRusoNHc4qbb0w-8BNB2X2Xu9Q@mail.gmail.com> <CA%2BtpaK2-t2Y5NN%2B1XFa8aJbw%2BbfvEAeP4-iD5_iLthqaohydNw@mail.gmail.com> <CAKYr3zweDWHCT9ir4uqq%2BjPUZaHZE%2BNdgUuu_vvbcOy65XDvBA@mail.gmail.com> <CA%2BtpaK3w7ZTpSJgsqkz%2BoBwbvm6J6vi4TyFBSqMxB5gDbsH9oA@mail.gmail.com> <4E23F31C.3010803@pathscale.com> <20110718073000.29e89590@scorpio>
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On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:30:00 -0400, Jerry wrote: > I suggested several years ago, and I will re-suggest that FreeBSD start > a program that would allow programmers to be paid to write code that > either the regular contributors do not want to write or are not capable > of writing. Other OS's are currently working on that model. No one > would be forced to contribute. This would prove beneficial to everyone > and should satisfy both capitalist who don't mind paying for quality > products and socialist like Poly who want everything for nothing. It > would be a win-win situation. Erm... you're invited to prove the "everything for nothing" as well as the "socialist" claim. I'm old enough not to take this insult personally, but still (for maintaining discussion culture) please back up your statement, or it will simply classify you as impolite and stupid. Besides that nonsense, I agree with your statement. With support (usually by money) and help of manufacturers that are interested in bringing their hardware to a better support situation by providing information and documentation so developers could write drivers for many platforms, it would be a win-win situation. It would even be better than cost-intensive reverse engineering - means: better drivers in less time, so FreeBSD could be used on most modern hardware. The more standards are used, the less work is needed to bring the new hardware up. (Just imagine you would need a driver for a hard disk...) Personally, this is no issue for me as I don't own such things, but because you claim that I "want everything for nothing"... :-) Keep in mind that I've also spent money on software, but on one that WORKS. Maybe this could even affect the whole *BSD family, so by the availability of more drivers, more desktop share could be gained, which seems to be the measurement of OS quality today. > With the advent of the next version of FBSD soon to be upon us, > this would be a propitious moment to start such a project. FBSD has > never been considered a dreadnought in the driver development field and > this might work to change that. The idea seems to have lots of potential. With paid developers who are willing to license their work as BSDL code, it could really improve the "out of the box support" of the system. On the other hand - as you mentioned -, it may be the lack of support of the community, but THAT is the main force behind FreeBSD. Other operating systems have big companies behind them who are able and willing to spend money on "prestige projects", as well as their everyday work because they need to make their living from it - or gain world domination. :-) The more the FreeBSD community depends on having certain hardware working, the more support I see for developers. But as the community seems to be spread across all the many forms of OS use (mostly servers, but also stationary workstations, just a minority seems to be using mobile devices), I'm not sure it will be sufficient. It's not that FreeBSD is a "desktop-only OS" which can invest all its energy in getting commodity hardware working, while leaving quality aside on other fields. Poorly implemented features, broken code, messing around with quirks and short-time solutions do not seem to be very welcome among FreeBSD users. -- Polytropon Magdeburg, Germany Happy FreeBSD user since 4.0 Andra moi ennepe, Mousa, ...
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