On Mon, Jul 18, 2011 at 01:49:03PM +0200, Polytropon wrote: > > On Mon, 18 Jul 2011 07:30:00 -0400, Jerry wrote: > > I suggested several years ago, and I will re-suggest that FreeBSD start > > a program that would allow programmers to be paid to write code that > > either the regular contributors do not want to write or are not capable > > of writing. Other OS's are currently working on that model. No one > > would be forced to contribute. This would prove beneficial to everyone > > and should satisfy both capitalist who don't mind paying for quality > > products and socialist like Poly who want everything for nothing. It > > would be a win-win situation. > > Erm... you're invited to prove the "everything for nothing" > as well as the "socialist" claim. I'm old enough not to > take this insult personally, but still (for maintaining > discussion culture) please back up your statement, or it > will simply classify you as impolite and stupid. > > Besides that nonsense, I agree with your statement. With > support (usually by money) and help of manufacturers that > are interested in bringing their hardware to a better > support situation by providing information and documentation > so developers could write drivers for many platforms, it > would be a win-win situation. It would even be better than > cost-intensive reverse engineering - means: better drivers > in less time, so FreeBSD could be used on most modern > hardware. The more standards are used, the less work is > needed to bring the new hardware up. (Just imagine you > would need a driver for a hard disk...) > > Personally, this is no issue for me as I don't own such > things, but because you claim that I "want everything for > nothing"... :-) Keep in mind that I've also spent money > on software, but on one that WORKS. > > Maybe this could even affect the whole *BSD family, so > by the availability of more drivers, more desktop share > could be gained, which seems to be the measurement of > OS quality today. > > > > > With the advent of the next version of FBSD soon to be upon us, > > this would be a propitious moment to start such a project. FBSD has > > never been considered a dreadnought in the driver development field and > > this might work to change that. > > The idea seems to have lots of potential. With paid > developers who are willing to license their work as > BSDL code, it could really improve the "out of the box > support" of the system. > > On the other hand - as you mentioned -, it may be > the lack of support of the community, but THAT is > the main force behind FreeBSD. Other operating systems > have big companies behind them who are able and willing > to spend money on "prestige projects", as well as their > everyday work because they need to make their living from > it - or gain world domination. :-) > > The more the FreeBSD community depends on having certain > hardware working, the more support I see for developers. > But as the community seems to be spread across all the > many forms of OS use (mostly servers, but also stationary > workstations, just a minority seems to be using mobile > devices), I'm not sure it will be sufficient. It's not > that FreeBSD is a "desktop-only OS" which can invest all > its energy in getting commodity hardware working, while > leaving quality aside on other fields. Poorly implemented > features, broken code, messing around with quirks and > short-time solutions do not seem to be very welcome among > FreeBSD users. >
I like Jerry's proposal. The FreeBSD Foundation should organise their donations page so that you can donate to various different areas of development like TUG do: https://www.tug.org/donate.html It should be at least split into server, workstation and general development. I donate to both FreeBSD and TUG but I far prefer the TUG model. When I donate to the Foundation, I know a lot of my money is going to esoteric server development which doesn't benefit me much but benefits large corporations who can afford to fund their own development to scratch *their own* itches. I want mine scratched! Regards, -- Frank Contact info: http://www.shute.org.uk/misc/contact.html
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