[fedora-arm] ARM summit at Plumbers 2011

[Bill Gatliff]

Luke:


Step back from the keyboard just a bit.  :)

It's true that the glass isn't completely full--- but it's pretty
darned full!  And we wouldn't be discussing the various GPL and other
violations that you cite were it not for the overwhelming successes of
Free Software, ARM, Linux, and Android.

We are well past debating the merits of Free Software et. al, which
itself is a huge milestone that we need to recognize.  Now it's time
to let the lawyers do their jobs.  And they will, because there are
tremendous sums of money at play.  Money that wouldn't be there if it
weren't for us developers.  But we need to stay out of their way,
while at the same time taking care to continue producing tangible
things that are worth fighting over.

As developers, we've won.  Deal with it.  Revel in it.  And then get over it.

I have observed all the hand-wringing regarding the state of ARM
Linux, and it's obvious to everyone that there is still work to be
done.  ARM isn't like PCs, and that's obviously inconvenient for Linus
but it's an essential part of ARM's success.  Russell King has been
overworked for a decade or more, attempting through sheer force of
human/developer will to keep ARM Linux from running off the rails.

As far as ARM Linux is concerned, I think we're dangerously close to
being smothered by our own success.   We have to learn to work
smarter, because we can't work any harder.  And I applaud Linaro and
the countless others for recognizing this problem and looking for ways
to resolve it.

I for one would love to participate in the ARM Summit, but I'm a sole
proprietor without an expense account to charge the travel costs to
and they are too large for me to carry personally.  I suspect I'm not
the only one in that situation.

The fact that there has been little response to the ARM Summit doesn't
mean that nobody cares or that the problems seem to large to solve.
It just means that we're going to have to find a different way to get
this work done.


b.g.
-- 
Bill Gatliff
bgat at billgatliff.com