Re: Driver removals

[Adrian Bunk <bunk@kernel.org>]

On Fri, Feb 15, 2008 at 08:08:13PM -0500, Bill Davidsen wrote:
>...
> If you don't see an ethical problem in removing a working driver which  
> is not taking support resources, in order to force people to test and  
> debug a driver they don't now and never would need, so that it might in  
> time offer them the same functionality those users already had... then I  
> can never make you see why technological extortion is evil.
>...

You miss one basic principle of free software:

Forks are allowed, so when you don't like the way some software is 
developed you can always release a version of the software that is in 
your eyes better.

And that's nothing evil, after all each distribution kernel is a fork of 
the upstream kernel.

Hey, you can even use the 2.6.16 branch *I* do maintain to avoid what 
you claim was an "ethical problem".

And if you don't like 2.6.16 either for whatever reason there's still no 
ethical problem but only the technical problem of you not getting your 
ass up and doing whatever is "better" in your opinion.

After all, free software is not driven by people whining but by people 
doing stuff.

cu
Adrian

-- 

       "Is there not promise of rain?" Ling Tan asked suddenly out
        of the darkness. There had been need of rain for many days.
       "Only a promise," Lao Er said.
                                       Pearl S. Buck - Dragon Seed