Debian Delayed by Disenchanted Developers

Torus Kas writes "Debian GNU/Linux 4.0 was supposed to be due by December 4 and development is currently frozen. Apparently the saga was triggered by disenchantment towards funding of $6,000 for each of the 2 release managers to work full-time in order to speed up the development. Many unpaid developers simply put off Debian work to work on something else."

Comments

"fire" them

[asv108]

If the release managers are getting what amounts to insubordination, then find people to replace the protesting developers, and move on. If replacing the people who are insubordinate is impractical, then work out a compromise.

I personally don't see anything wrong with people getting money to spend more time on open source projects. Its not a two tiered system, any Debian developer can throw up a website that solicits donations so they can spend more time working for the greater good.

A group of 17 developers, led by well-known Debian maintainer Joerg Jaspert, issued a position statement in October citing its disenchantment with Dunc-Tank. It read, "This whole affair already hurts Debian more than it can ever achieve. It already made a lot of people who have contributed a huge amount of time and work to Debian reduce their work. People left the project, others are orphaning packages...system administration and security work is reduced, and a lot of otherwise silent maintainers simply put off Debian work (to) work on something else."

The dunc-tank concept is not hurting Debian, its the reaction by a small group of developers that is hurting Debian. Stopping work to protest dunc-tank, is the equivalent of cutting your hand off because of a finger sprain. I already have a hard enough time getting Debian used in enterprise projects because there is no company behind it. Now every time Debian is suggested, someone is going to say "Well what happens when the devs go on strike again?"

This incident is not just hurting Debian, its hurting every fully community based project that could be used in enterprise environments.

Nice inflammatory troll

[PCM2]

So what you're saying is that Debian is for fucked-up smelly hippies who just can't handle the idea that people need money to live? Debian is too "pure" for anyone to get a pittance for their contribution? If you want your work accepted in Debian you'd better be independently wealthy? Oh fine. Sure sounds like the GNU ideal to me.

Sure, and while you're at it, fuck feeding the poor -- if I'm going to feed the poor, shouldn't I get paid for it? And fuck shelters for battered women -- what am I, a hippie? Obviously, anybody who believes anyone could actually afford to volunteer their time for a worthwhile cause must be an independently wealthy, elitist snob. Out here in the real world it's all about the money, baby. You want code? Fuck you, pay me.

Yessirree, Bob ... I sure loves me some open source.