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Date:      Thu, 5 Sep 1996 15:01:20 +0930 (CST)
From:      Michael Smith <msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au>
To:        rkw@dataplex.net (Richard Wackerbarth)
Cc:        dg@Root.COM, current@FreeBSD.org
Subject:   Re: Latest Current build failure
Message-ID:  <199609050531.PAA09729@genesis.atrad.adelaide.edu.au>
In-Reply-To: <v02140b0cae53ed7d1adc@[208.2.87.4]> from "Richard Wackerbarth" at Sep 4, 96 10:04:56 pm

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Richard Wackerbarth stands accused of saying:
> 
> This new scheme will buy absolutely nothing but additional headaches if you
> attempt to run it in parallel with the existing chaos. Even if it were
> implemented, it would take additional effort to build the critical user
> mass that makes it worthwhile. You would also have the "documentation"
> problem of explaining "how this is different from that".

As I see it, this is the critical difference of opinion around which
all contention revolves.

You put your point succinctly (for once 8); let me try to put the
opposing side :

 The new scheme will have implementation problems, which simply due to the
 number of people involved will be _astronomical_.  Running the two in
 parallel will allow the affected parties to chose their own time and
 means of cutover, taking the strain off considerably, and leaving
 a convenient fallback should the new system hiccup while it is being
 sorted out.

You _cannot_ expect instant results with a change such as you are
proposing.  The documentation and "critical mass" issues are costs
that would simply have to be borne - the alternatives are absolutely
impalatable, and it is in refusing to address this fact that you are
falling foul of semi-popular opinion.

> Since you, collectively, are unwilling to accept anything that an outsider
> does unless it is a completely implemented, tested and documented package,
> you will never, IMHO, solve the fundamental structural problems of your
> approach nor realize the values that can be reached in incremental steps.

Here you are showing signs of hysteria.  That's Bad. 8( A simple
demonstration along the lines of "here, try this", is what's needed.
So far you've insisted on acceptance before the fact, which is
something that's patently unrealistic.

-- 
]] Mike Smith, Software Engineer        msmith@atrad.adelaide.edu.au    [[
]] Genesis Software                     genesis@atrad.adelaide.edu.au   [[
]] High-speed data acquisition and      (GSM mobile) 0411-222-496       [[
]] realtime instrument control          (ph/fax)  +61-8-267-3039        [[
]] Collector of old Unix hardware.      "Where are your PEZ?" The Tick  [[



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