Interview With BitKeeper Author Larry McVoy

Jeremy Andrews writes "KernelTrap has spoken with Larry McVoy, BitMover founder and primary BitKeeper author. BitKeeper, a distributed source control system, has been adopted by Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds and condemned by free software icon Richard Stallman. In this interview, Larry looks back through the years, describing his exposure to computers and Linux. He also discusses the history of BitKeeper, from writing NSElite for Sun (which turned into their still used SCM, Teamware), to his desire to keep Linus from burning out, to the present day solution. The choice to not license BitKeeper under the GPL is also explained. Larry discusses much beyond Bitkeeper as well, exploring some of his other interests. Find the full interview on KernelTrap."

Comments

Congratulations to Linus

[WzDD]

For years, I've been skeptical of the Linux kernel development model, and specifically the its lack of source control. While it seemed to be "working", Linus has showed the strain several times on the kernel list. As far as I'm concerned, I'm glad he's found a tool that works for him - I totally agree with Linus' attitude of "use the tool that works for you, not its ideologically better, but otherwise inferior competition".

Hopefully this will at least alleviate some of the "Linus doesn't scale" criticisms, too.

Pragmatism

[jdh28]

Linus' approach to BitKeeper (and to everything it seems) is a purely pragmatic one. He has said that if there is a GPL'ed SCM that is at least as good as BitKeeper then he will switch. Until that happens he refuses to let idealism stand in the way of progress.

I think the BitKeeper license is an interesting innovation. My only problem with it, is that if I am using it for free, I am _forced_ to upgrade when new versions become available. Even on an open source project I wouldn't want to be changing something as fundamental as my SCM very regularly. If it aint broke and all that.

john

Show me the money

[nagora]

Someone has come up with a way of earning a living under the following circumstances:

1. A lone programmer has a written a new program. Lets say it's an industrial level Cad system for Linux based on 20 years experience as an architect.
2. S/he releases it under the GPL but also writes a nice thick manual which is available as a PDF (let's assume s/he can't afford a minimal print run for this) to go with it.
3. The program works and works well and the manual is good enough to actually use the program; support is not a major issue.
4. The programmer continues on development of the program into new versions which are also GPL'd.

How does this programmer buy food to eat?

This is the flaw in the Free-Software model that McVoy is getting at. If you are a programmer who releases quality work which is distributed for free, how the hell do you survive?

The fact that the GPL does not prevent trying to sell software does not change the reality of distribution of such software in the Internet age.

I don't want to hear solutions based on using the software; the model here is someone who wants to be a programmer, not to remain an architect.

I believe in Free Software; I just can't see how I could ever be involved beyond it being a hobby funded by my real job.

TWW