Torvalds: No picnic to become major Linux coder

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Your reasoning is flawed

An appropriate model would consider the amount of overhead necessary to field ideas from all contributors equally. That overhead would probably be extremely large, so the current model is not appropriate, it is simply efficient. So, it's not free and open -- by necessity, since resources are scarce, it's a clique.

The concept of "paying your dues" need not apply here. You show up with a set of ideas, and they either work or they don't. Who cares if you've been programming for a week or thirty-five years? Who cares if you've been contributing small patches since the mid-90s?

Do you have the goods right here and right now? Is your idea worthy? That should be the only criterion.

Fielding ideas from programmers who are not well known in the community is not "anarchic". It's time-consuming.

If one is talented enough, one may produce "essential" code without any direct experience "in the community". Someone can be a world-class developer taking a first-time foray into FOSS and develop something brilliant (the Orson Welles of kernel development).

Torvolds tells that person, "Get in line. Pound out some grunt work for a few years, and then maybe, when we recognize your name, we'll tell you that you're ready, and just maybe we'll consider what you have to say."

How's that not ego?

Posted by: dkawalec   Posted on: 08/18/08  (Edited: 08/18/2008 @ 12:36) You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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