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Interview With BitKeeper Author Larry McVoy

Posted by michael on from the bit-by-bit dept.

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."

6 of 347 comments (clear)

  1. Re-inventing the wheel by coryboehne · · Score: -1, Troll

    Isn't bitkeeper really just a fancy system for version checking? Or am I missing something?

  2. Linus could not accept CVS/RCS by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    Linus *LIKED* being 'large and in charge' of the kernel. CVS/RCS would have broken his control, so he railed agaisnt it.

    When he had to admit to needing a tool, he could not choose CVS/RCS because he spent years ripping on it.

    So he had to choose bitkeeper to save face.

  3. Re:free... as in freedom? by MrFredBloggs · · Score: 1, Troll

    "In other words Stallman is making an effort to limit their freedom with their own product"

    No, he`s suggesting they change. He`s not trying to limit anything. Such wilfil falsehoods are very tedious, and easy to see through, so whats the point?

  4. Re:free... as in freedom? by TechnoVooDooDaddy · · Score: 2, Troll

    i've got mana to burn so here goes..

    Stallman is all his way or no way. And when someone else has another idea, or wants to do things differently, he has issues. Linus wrote the kernel. Period. RMS can go back to Hurd or whatever if he doesn't like Linus. I personally don't blame linus one bit for switching from CVS, i've maintained CVS crap before, and it can be a hassle.. If Linus has found something that works better for him, what place does RMS have to condemn that?

  5. Re:free... as in freedom? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Troll
    Stallman is all his way or no way. And when someone else has another idea, or wants to do things differently, he has issues.

    Stallman's way is freedom. Therefore other ways are non-freedom. Why should he or anyone else accept non-freedom?

  6. Remove Bitkeeper advertising from Linux kernel by Anonymous Coward · · Score: -1, Troll

    There are Bitkeeper HOWTOs in the GPL'd Linux kernel - this is not the place for commercial advertising.