Date: Sun, 14 Dec 2008 10:43:26 +0000 From: Matthew Seaman <m.seaman@infracaninophile.co.uk> To: Glen Barber <glen.j.barber@gmail.com> Cc: Wojciech Puchar <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl>, Da Rock <rock_on_the_web@comcen.com.au>, freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Why FreeBSD not popular on hardware vendors Message-ID: <4944E34E.1040904@infracaninophile.co.uk> In-Reply-To: <4ad871310812140207r178560c1nf166d2adcbe5f698@mail.gmail.com> References: <20081213143200.GA5026@lpthe.jussieu.fr> <18755.53118.854987.966113@jerusalem.litteratus.org> <20081213182336.V41178@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <87skosf02b.fsf@kobe.laptop> <20081213184751.N41297@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <94136a2c0812131010p648d1a81q54f62bb3e1a61026@mail.gmail.com> <20081213200315.A44344@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <1229234226.18610.109.camel@laptop2.herveybayaustralia.com.au> <20081214110312.V48606@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> <4ad871310812140207r178560c1nf166d2adcbe5f698@mail.gmail.com>
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Glen Barber wrote:
> On Sun, Dec 14, 2008 at 5:03 AM, Wojciech Puchar
> <wojtek@wojtek.tensor.gdynia.pl> wrote:
>>> You remind me of a tech I once worked with who thought all customers
>>> were stupid. Maybe they were...
>> the difference is that FreeBSD is free software.
>>
>> or is not?
>=20
> How is that relevant?
>=20
The tech was being paid to do a job, so he really was contractually oblig=
ed
to be nice to the customers. FreeBSD isn't under any sort of obligation,=
contractual or otherwise to do anything.
Well, apart from the exceptions where developers have been hired or given=
grants to implement bits of functionality, or companies have decided to t=
ask
their employees with developing FreeBSD drivers[*]. Even so, while the
obligation of any individual may not be directly to the FreeBSD project i=
tself,
the result is effectively just that.
Not to mention the moral obligation that developers accept to debug and m=
aintain
the code that they give to the project. Sure, no one can demand that a d=
eveloper
drop everything and /fix/ /this/ /now/ but most developers, most of the t=
ime,
will respond extremely quickly to well-formed bug reports concerning thei=
r areas
of interest.
The difference is the degree and nature of the motivation to work on Free=
BSD
related things. Ideally developers are self-motivated. They do it becau=
se
they want to, not because they have to or because they won't get paid if =
they
don't[+]. It's not an entirely black and white distinction -- after al=
l,
employees aren't slaves. If they really can't stand being nice to the id=
iot
customers, they always have the option of seeking alternative employment.=
=20
Cheers,
Matthew
[*] I'm thinking of the Intel NICs that Jack Vogel maintains in particula=
r
here.
[+] Although being paid to do what you would be doing anyhow is always ni=
ce.
--=20
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil. 7 Priory Courtyard
Flat 3
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey Ramsgate
Kent, CT11 9PW
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