Re: Penelope builds a kernel

[Bruce Harada <bruce@ask.ne.jp>]

On Mon, 14 Jan 2002 16:59:09 -0500
"Eric S. Raymond" <esr@thyrsus.com> wrote:

> Scenario #3: Penelope goes where the geeks are surfing.
> 
[SNIP]
>
> Penelope needs to build a kernel to support her exotic driver, but she
> hasn't got more than the vaguest idea how to go about it.  The
> instructions with the driver source patch tell her to apply it at the
> top level of a current Linux source tree and then just say "build the
> kernel" before getting off into technicalia about the user-space
> tools.
> 
[SNIP]

So, she calls up one of the innumerable independent Linux support companies in
her area (hey, this is a fantasy scenario, right?) and tells them what she
needs, pays them $30, and guess what? she never needed to run anything
herself.

I think some people are getting too involved with the issue to see that SOME
people probably don't care what kernel they're running, or even what a kernel
is, they just want to give someone money to fix their problem. It's like your
local auto-repair shop - someone who knows about car engines wouldn't take
their car there except for major repairs, because they know what to do in most
situations, but most people just want to drive. If they ever get sick of
paying to put the mechanic's kids through college, they will learn how to
change the oil themselves, but honestly, most people simply can't be bothered.

And before you say that Linux is supposed to empower the people of the world,
not limit them, I wouldn't say that learning how to change my oil "empowers"
me all that much.