Torvalds Has Harsh Words For FreeBSD Devs

An anonymous reader writes "In a relatively technical discussion about the merits of Copy On Write (COW) versus a very new Linux kernel system call named vmsplice(), Linux creator Linus Torvalds had some harsh words for Mach and FreeBSD developers that utilize COW: 'I claim that Mach people (and apparently FreeBSD) are incompetent idiots. Playing games with VM is bad. memory copies are _also_ bad, but quite frankly, memory copies often have _less_ downside than VM games, and bigger caches will only continue to drive that point home.' The discussion goes on to explain how the new vmsplice() avoids this extra overhead."

Comments

Playing games with VM is bad.

[digitaldc]

Playing games with VM is bad.

I know, I hate it when I have to listen to 26 hang up messages in my inbox only to find out someone is playing games with me. :(

Tantrums

[ClamIAm]

Methinks we need to start tagging "tantrum" to this type of thing.

Given the respective quality of the Linux and *BSD

[Anonymous Coward]

kernels, me thinks it's just sour grapes because Linus can't compete in that area.

Just finished reading "Thud!", sorry...

[Anonymous Coward]

Is that my COW?
it goes "incompetent idiots."
It is a Torvalds.
That is not my COW.

Next on FOX

[Anonymous Coward]

When OS developers attack!
 
Is it just me, or does the hype outstrip the events?

I call bullshit!

[OctoberSky]

As a Slashdot user there is no way in hell you have 26 messages on your phone machine. Maybe 3 messages, but thier probably your mom calling to ask you when your coming out of the basement, your friend inviting you to stand in line for tickets to the latest Sci-Fi flick and the Pizza guy confirming your order of 2 large and a 2 liter of Mt. Dew on a Friday night.

Wrong side of compiler

[StarKruzr]

I think Linus has gotten to the point where he just really enjoys trolling. Like, this was OBVIOUSLY uncalled-for, and he's usually such a laid-back guy. Maybe's he's read too much Slashdot. I don't know.

Re:Wrong side of compiler

[bfields]

I think Linus has gotten to the point where he just really enjoys trolling.

Could be:

I got slashdotted! Yay!

On Thu, 20 Apr 2006, Linus Torvalds wrote:
>
> I claim that Mach people (and apparently FreeBSD) are incompetent idiots.

I also claim that Slashdot people usually are smelly and eat their
boogers, and have an IQ slightly lower than my daughters pet hamster
(that's "hamster" without a "p", btw, for any slashdot posters out
there. Try to follow me, ok?).

Furthermore, I claim that anybody that hasn't noticed by now that I'm an
opinionated bastard, and that "impolite" is my middle name, is lacking a
few clues.

Finally, it's clear that I'm not only the smartest person around, I'm also
incredibly good-looking, and that my infallible charm is also second only
to my becoming modesty.

So there. Just to clarify.

Linus "bow down before me, you scum" Torvalds

Re:Wrong side of compiler

[kv9]

Finally, it's clear that I'm not only the smartest person around, I'm also incredibly good-looking, and that my infallible charm is also second only to my becoming modesty.

i know what's the last book that linus read. do you?

If I only had a brain

[swordfish666]

This is so tech I don't even undersatnd what they are talking about yet I am very "Intellectually Curious".

Re:Wrong Side of Bed?

[jandrese]

One thing that concerns me about making all of these copies is that it seems like a quick and easy way to blow out your L2 cache. That could in the long run have a worse performance penalty than having to play the VM tricks with CoW.

Re:Wrong Side of Bed?

[QuietLagoon]

Why does Torvalds care? I mean, why does he care what FreeBSD is doing, or how they are doing it?

If there is something that FreeBSD does that he likes, he is welcome to the code. If there is something that FreeBSD does that he does not like, he can just let it go.

Why does he feel the need to start a war within the OpenSource community?

Linus, my advice to you is simple...

[Anonymous Coward]

.. this will help you keep yourself calm.

Sweet

[bogie]

It's been a while since we had a huge linux vs BSD flame feast.

I'll start.

BSD user: Linux is a confusing mess of programs and is less stable than BSD.

Linux user: Your still here? I thought you were dead by now?

Re:Wrong Side of Bed?

[visgoth]

Because everyone enjoys a good old fashioned jihad once in a while?

Re:Did you hear that?

[Cid Highwind]

It will be interesting to see what weapon the BSD crowd will retaliate with.

My guesses are they will respond something like this:

FreeBSD: FreeBSD users will continue their campaign of random acts of elitist snobbery against Linux users.
OpenBSD: Theo will threaten to stop work on OpenSSH unless Linus gives him $10,000 for every nasty email he sends a *BSD developer.
NetBSD: Will stop developing the NetBSD port for Linus' microwave.

GEEK WARS BEGIN!!! NEWS AT 11!!

[Electric Eye]

Our top story tonight, uber geek Linus Torvalds unleashed a scathing indictment of some other geeks, claiming they are skating on thin ice by using Virtual Memory calls to improve performance. The words sparked outrage in the dark rooms of colleeg geek programmers from Berkley to Berlin. The angry geek mobs said they're going to launch a flame war from their computers "to teach Linus a lesson."

In the words of George Takei "Hoooooooly geeeez!" This is news??

Obligatory Simpsons reference

[Admiral Burrito]

Linus Torvalds: "Don't have a COW, man!"

Re:Microsofts answer to that

[keithmo]

No, in Longhorn, it's called COW-tipping(tm).

The Universe In Which Spock Has A Beard?

[tlambert]

``And in what universe is anyone who can intelligently speak about (much less code around) memory and VM management [be called] an "incompetent idiot"?''

The Universe In Which Spock Has A Beard?

-- Terry

You stupid COW!

[codehead78]

You'll scream! I'll vmsplice ya, it's gonna hurt.

Re:Wrong Side of Bed?

[Rich0]

Only if you assume you're using linux to power a web