It seems to me that this is the way things _always_ have been with kernel development. (Not that I'm a kernel developer or hang out on the lists) For the most part these people have been working closely (though remotely) for years and have a running dialog for this sort of stuff. Didn't we (not we TCLUG, we the unwashed technically-inclined masses via Slashdot, etc.) have this conversation a year or two ago with regards to professionalism and comments in kernel source containing the word "fuck"? Besides... someone else was quoted with the beam o' light from Linus' backside comment. Bill Layer wrote: > It's very troubling to see the 'man at the top' running off at the mouth > like some lamer on IRC or Slashdot. I expected better from someone of > rank, I'm sadly disappointed. I mean, I might have sounded off like that > once in a while, but then again the world at large doesn't give a fsck > what I'm up to... I'm just Joe User, if I act like an idiot I'm the only > one who really loses. > > When I see the sort of exchange that is taking place at the highest > levels, the issues that I have with the recent Linux kernels suddenly > appear more grave than ever. I've had the fear recently that Linus & crew > are losing control of their creation, and this kind of public tirade only > deepens my fears for the future of Linux. I hope Linus apologized to Alan > for that comment. > -- Jesse Erdmann Engineer Secure Computing Corp.