TurboLinux Releases "Potentially Dangerous" Clustering Software?

relaye writes "The performance clustering software and services announced today by Linux vendor TurboLinux Inc. and a cabal of partners including Unix vendor SCO Inc. takes the Linux market in an unusual and somewhat risky direction, analysts are saying. " The article cites risks of forking the kernel - not an incredibly probable risk, but a thought-provoking scenario. The danger comes if Linus decides not to incorporates TurboLinux's changes into the kernel.

Comments

Fork? Big deal

[PD]

The analysts are getting too jumpy over nothing. TurboLinux has the right to make whatever changes they want to. That's the *purpose* of open source. If Linus was concerned about a code fork, then logically he would have chosen a different licence.

We should all be pleased that Linux is so flexible technically and legally that anyone who has a problem can either use Linux to solve the problem, or change Linux to solve the problem.

Using a feature of the operating system like the open source licence is no different than using any other feature of the operating system, like support for a TV Tuner card. The users will use any features of the operating system in the way that they want to, and nobody can tell them they can't.

Turbo Linux isn't forking the code, they are using one of the most powerful features of the code.

And that's my view.

Remember libc5 vs. GNU libc?

[Bruce Perens]

We had a major fork of the Linux C library, "libc5", vs. GNU LIBC. That fork was resolved once the Linux fork had a chance to mature. Its modifications were incorporated into the main thread.

Folks, we've been here before. The forks converged. There's no reason that future forks of GPL software will not converge.

Thanks

Bruce

TurboLinux's Kernel

[docwhat]

Hello!

I am the kernel maintainer for TurboLinux. I'd like to dispell a few myths here:

• The kernel isn't "forking" from what Linus distributes anymore than Debian, Redhat, SUSE, etc. do. We add extra patches for enhanced functionality, like raid, IBM Serveraid, etc.
• The actual kernel patch that is used by TurboCluster is *in the kernel rpm*. You can grab the source rpm and look at it.
• The TurboCluster was based upon the Virtual Server in the beginning. Since then we have hired a company to re-write it from scratch. There is nothing left of VS in the Cluster code, except some concepts (but none of their code). Did I mention it is GPL'ed in the source.
• Did I mention that all the patches are available from the kernel source RPM?
• At some point, the Cluster module will be submitted to Linus. However, we only know it works for 2.2.x. I *will* submit it for 2.3 and 2.5 (if it doesn't make 2.3), but I am in the process of re-writing the kernel RPM and am very busy. It needs to have all the CONFIG options and such added in, and checked to work in 2.3.x.
• The TurboClusterD (the only non-GPL part of TurboCluster) will be OpenSource'd in the future. Our current plan (this is *not* an official commitment) is to release it as the next version comes out. The next version will be much better, of course.

I hope this addresses some people's concerns. Don't worry, I am **very** pro-GPL and am responsible for sanity checking these choices.

Ciao!

(aka Christian Holtje docwhat@turoblinux.com>)

Re:Maintaining patches

[docwhat]

Hello!

I am the kernel maintainer for TurboLinux. Your email hasn't arrived in my mail box yet. I suspect that you sent others in my organization. Most of us are at ISPCon, so it hasn't filtered to me yet.

We have no intent of packaging and maintaining a seperate linux kernel tree. It would be too much work for no benefits.

Our kernel RPMs includes the base standard kernel tarball and additional patches. You can get all the additional patches out of the .src.rpm file. You can build a complete kernel from the .src.rpm file.

I have not put up a web-page or submitted it to Linus et al as I have not had time. Our primary concern is getting a quality product to our customers.

You may get the TurboLinux Cluster Kernel Patch here (You'll need to hold shift to download):
cluster-kernel-4.0.5-19991009.tgz

Does this answer all your questions?

Ciao!

Re:Clustering Technology

[Alan Cox]

Simple answer
2.2: new feature, not going in
2.2ac: Using Wensong Zhangs code because it is
rock solid and production hardened. It needs no
proprietary tools. Several vendors already ship this code. I also know people building big web setups using it.
[www.linuxvirtualserver.org]

2.3.x is up to Linus, actually possibly to Rusty
as all of this code area has totally changed to
use netfilter.

Alan