[ale] pigs do fly

[tom]

On Tue, 21 Jul 2009, Geoffrey wrote:

> Michael B. Trausch wrote:
>> On Mon, 20 Jul 2009, Richard Bronosky wrote:
>>
>>> "developed Linux drivers to the Linux community for possible inclusion
>>> in the Linux source tree"
>>>
>>> I'm not sure what "inclusion in the source tree" entails, but I will
>>> compile my own kernel to stand my ground against this menace.
>>
<<snip>>
>>
>> At least, that's the way it used to be in our world. Are we about to change
>> the rules just because we don't like one of the people or companies that have
>> contributed code?  I should think not.  But then again, I also don't think
>> that code should fly into the kernel without inspection just because the
>> person that wrote it is well-known on the LKML and usually submits bug-free
>> code.  I remember a few root exploits that were dropped in without
>> review---accidentally, mind---just because the contributor was liked and
>> known.
>
> It's not an issue of whether I like them or not.  My position is based
> on their business practices over the lifetime of the company.  They've
> gone out of their way to destroy companies and grow their monopoly.
> They have proven they can not be trusted.  It will take as much time to
> gain any trust.
>
Actually, it will take longer to build trust than they have been 
untrustworthy. (Did I get that phrasing right? I think so.)

Ok. I don't like MS. I go to some lengths to avoid their products, which I 
generally dislike when forced to use them. etc etc etc.

But it really doesn't matter what MS does, because we do not own or 
control MS. It matters what we, the community as a whole, do. Our values 
supposedly hold that if your code is solid, the need is real in the world 
at large, and the lisence(sp?) proper, it _will_ be accepted. We need to 
attempt to live up to that standard as a group. As such, if the code is 
solid, I hope Linus and the other kernel developers will seriously 
consider it. As for the demand in the real world, I lack sufficient 
information to form a useful opinion.

I also hope that if this code drop is acceptable, and probably even if it 
isn't, that the community  will take defensive steps against the most 
likely offenses MS may take. Getting into the cage with a top preditor 
without taking steps for self preservation is stupid after all...