Scott,
I'm a non-developer, semi-newbie and semi-outsider.
However, I do keep tabs on the issues and I've been reading all the
mails exchanged via this list as regards the Adaptec RAID documentation
issue.
You're accusing Theo of being unkind. I will easily grant that he's
taking a hard line stance and that he is confrontational, but where did
he lose it? Where did he stomp on Doug? I must have missed that mail.
You, however, you did stomp on Theo and that kind of unwarranted attack
is quite out of order and uncalled for. It strikes me that Theo (who
some, for various reasons, do regard as "confrontational") was quite
clear and rational in his response. I put it to you that it it you
who's been belligerent. In other words, based on what I know, I say
you're out of line.
There is no need for this.
The issue runs down to a _philosophical disagreement_ and a _difference
of opinion_.
FreeBSD (and you) take a kind of middle road, where considerations such
as installed base and market penetration are weighed against free
software principles and where compromises are acceptable in the hope
that they will help towards reaching ultimate goals of freeness.
OpenBSD (and Theo) takes a zero tolerance, "straight edge" approach. To
the OpenBSD community, it is not acceptable to make the kind of
compromises you're willing to make.
That's not a judgment, that's just a difference of opinion. I'm not
even calling OpenBSD's approach "better" -- because I'm not The Judge
Of All Things. I _personally_ currently prefer the OpenBSD way and
that's because of my own personal views and opinions.
I am quite convinced that Theo would gladly have contacted you if he
had felt that doing so would further OpenBSD's goals. Your complaints
about not having been consulted are besides the point, because your
goals differ from the goals of the OpenBSD community. __If that weren't
the case, OpenBSD would not exist.__ (I cannot emphasize this enough:
If OpenBSD didn't have goals that differ from OS xyz, then OpenBSD
would not exist.) I'm confident that there was no ambition on Theo's
side to leave you out of the loop because of sour grapes or anything:
You were not consulted because OpenBSD people didn't feel that what
you're offering would have been compatible with OpenBSD's goals and
hard line stance in terms of achieving them.
IFF you are willing to use your contacts/relationship with Adaptec to
help lobbying the vendor to release _documentation_, then that would be
_very_ welcome and quite a few people would be quite obliged. If you
are able to provide legally unencumbered _documentation_ yourself, then
that would also be more than welcome.
Any other approach to the Adapted RAID issue will not be acceptable to
the OpenBSD community and if that's unfortunate from your perspective,
then, well, again, you've got different views and goals and a different
opinion about the best way of achieving even those goals shared between
both projects.
If you can help with OpenBSD's goals, please do help. If you aren't
happy about the OpenBSD way, philosophy and politics, then please just
leave us alone.
Even if we were to assume for a second that OpenBSD is doomed to fail
with its hard line attitude: That's not your problem. There's no reason
for you to even worry, much less get angry.
Peace.
Thanks and regards,
ropers
www.ropersonline.com
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