Having been subscribed to lkml for years and generally followed the discussions at least at a casual level, this really isn't an accurate characterization of ho

Having been subscribed to lkml for years and generally followed the discussions at least at a casual level, this really isn't an accurate characterization of how Linus treats people in general. However, your attitude is kind of what Linus intends to instill in those easily deterred by such behavior. He's not interested in your contributions if you're going to be a thin-skinned child about the development process and ongoing maintenance. Your contributions won't be perfect, and he's not interested in having to waste time beating around the bush in telling you so.