Tom Smith wrote: > On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 2:29 PM, armpit <mailto...@iprimus.com.au> wrote: > >> >> OpenBSD is created by the developers for the developers and any use that >> the rest of us get from the OS is a nice side effect of their generosity... > > > That's nonsense. You can't beg for donations and CD sales, time and time > again, and then turn around and tell the same people, that you're begging to > give more, that what they want does not matter. "Your contributions are > pathetic." I think something like that was recently posted to misc. Well, if > what end-users want matters not to OpenBSD developers and what end-users > give is "pathetic", then OpenBSD developers should not complain when > end-users don't buy more CDs or donate more money. Can't have it both ways. > I use and like OpenBSD, but nonsensical statements such as this need to > stop, this is silly and it benefits no one.
Ah, so you feel that instead of having a rigid set of goals and objectives, OpenBSD should blow whatever way public opinion pushes it at any particular moment, eh? Shall we have a logo design contest? An elected core team of Most Popular Developers? Five different network filtering systems because we don't have the guts to say to anyone, "sorry, we are dropping your old, inferior product, and focusing on the new and better product", because it might upset you and you might not give? I can assure you, this would not be what you recognize and love as OpenBSD. This would not be the OS obsessed with correctness and good design, it would be Yet Anothter WinLinNetFreeBSux. We can wrap it in all kinds of flowery language, but it boils down to this: One guy is in charge, he surrounds himself with a small number of other really smart people (and me). They build what THEY want and need to build, for work and FOR FUN. They make it available to anyone who wants it for just about any use they want to use it for. Not everyone needs or wants what OpenBSD produces, that's fine. No one forces you to use OpenBSD or OpenSSH or chroot your DNS or web server. If you find your wants and needs overlap with those of the developers, we ask you to help support the project. If you don't care about OpenBSD, you probably aren't reading this (well, we know a few people follow these lists out of a desire to stir shit, some people lack the intelligence and skills to have productive hobbies). If you use OpenBSD, obviously, you appreciate what the project produces and by implication, how it produces it. I absolutely do not believe you could have a warm, fuzzy project that produces something of the quality of OpenBSD. You want something "for the users"? Ok, here it is: contribute to the OpenBSD project "for the users". It isn't for the developers. Don't worry about the developers, they are all HIGHLY skilled people, they'll have no problem finding things to do with their spare time. Most of them would drastically increase their income if they weren't "wasting" all the time they do on OpenBSD. Just ask yourself, what would YOU do without OpenBSD? Nick.
