Slashdot Mirror
Wine Project Frustration and Forking
Elektroschock writes "Wine attempts to implement the Windows API layer on Linux. There are some limitations and an important one is the missing DIB engine, bug 421. Chris Howe comprehends the dissatisfaction of core developers with the arbitrary project governance: 'Sorry to sound like a stuck record but the Wine website still lists "write a DIB engine" as a requirement, and every time someone does, the patches disappear down a hole because they're "not right." Someone document what "would be right," or take "write a DIB engine" off the list. I'd love to have a go at documenting it myself, but I don't have the time to reverse engineer it from a few years' worth of rejected solutions.' The latest attempt of Massimo Del Fedel satisfied all requirements set previously for the long standing bug 421, and his optional engine seems to work fine by all Wine quality standards. He seems to be extraordinary stubborn and insusceptible to mobbing. Usually it is extremely frustrating for developers when the goalpost is constantly moved. When is the right time for project members to fork when their chief maintainer does not respond anymore or pursues an adverse commercial agenda?"
Maybe if there is a fork, it can be White Wine and the original can be Red Wine.
And then if they merge back together, it'll be a blush!
In my experience, wine makes it easier to fork
Thank you ex-Amiga user. BTW, how did that work out for you?
How we know is more important than what we know.
If a popular FOSS project like Firefox can have a 10+ years bug on the core HTML rendering, why should we be picky on a 7+ years old on a less popular application? The bottom line is: none has (enough) interest in it.
Maybe Computers will never be as intelligent as Humans.
For sure they won't ever become so stupid. [VR-1988]
Well, that appears to be an old sin.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.
Voting with your dollar is considered communism now? Oy vey.
3 ... 2 ... 1 .... for the M$ WINE Poisoning Conspiracy Theories.
Who killed WINE ? It was Steve Ballmer, in Seattle, with the poison ... or possibly with a chair.
a)
Commercial software is continuing to be developed, and it isn't hurting FOSS in the slightest.
Oh dear, where to begin... Some FOSS is commercial, since you didn't know. It's proprietary software that is the problem and it is killing FOSS or at least doing their damnest to.
b) You're a Capitalist. (No, in case you're wondering; that isn't meant as a compliment)
Are we just afraid of negative feedback from anti-forking people?
Or maybe we are afraid of some knifing (backstabbing) by the pro-knife people?
For my dad (an avoved computer illiterate, with no intention to learn more than the absolute bare minimum), KDE 4.0 is a sleek looking "new and better Windows" that doesn't pester him with crazy popups (no AV suit, and adblocker installed) while he does "his stuff" (read email).
Whether Linux is an alternative in the home user market depends on a few things. Most of all, on what they want to do. If their goal is reading email, using IM, browsing the net and doing essentially what a fair lot of the "older generation" net users do, it sure is a very good alternative, if for nothing else then for the additional security (not because Linux is inherently more secure, but because it still is no large enough market for malware businesses).
If you're looking at the younger, game hungry crowd, then no, it's not.
We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
My code is flawless; if it gets rejected it's time to fork.
// MD_Update(&m,buf,j);
Let's fork slahdot!
"A patch that dumps an entire DIB engine somewhere in the Wine tree is unlikely to be accepted (that has already happened!). It needs to be added in an incremental manner, without breaking working functionality."
... "That's far too complicated to put in all at once."
... "What am I gonna do with that?"
I flashed back to evolution arguments when I read that.
"Hey, here's an eye!"
"Well, okay. Here's a single photosensitive cell."
Anyone who designs something with vertical tabs should be killed!
Finally someone who agrees with me. Words written sideways!!!? I use a laptop, I can't just flip it on its side like I could with a monitor.