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Why would the Linux Foundation get to decide on if those researchers are allowed to experiment on and waste the time of volunteer developers?

hinkley 5y ago
The Linux foundation is in a position to ensure that Linux users don’t accidentally get experimented on when the PRs are approved.
dec0dedab0de 5y ago
Why would the Linux Foundation get to decide on if those researchers are allowed to experiment on and waste the time of volunteer developers? Granted, In the case of linux, it might make more sense if it were the combination of the Linux Foundation & Linus. It's their project, they can subject their volunteers to any tests they want. It may drive away some volunteers, but wether to take that risk or not, is up to the project to decide. For something as big as the kernel they may decide to get permission from the individual maintainers, maybe even limit the research to only the subsystems that agree to participate. In any case, the point I'm trying to make, is that this kind of testing may be beneficial, if the project is aware of it, and agrees to it. Who gets to decide on behalf of the project, would depend on the hierarchy of each project.
- ghaff 5y ago
  There are relatively few volunteers working on Linux. They mostly do it for their day jobs. Though the same criticism applies with respect to wasting time at their various companies. But, yes, there may have been some way of conducting a useful test after receiving permission--probably on a limited subsystem or set of subsystems.
jfrunyon 5y ago
Presumably they would do so after consultation with kernel developers, like uhh... themselves.
ret2plt 5y ago
I think it depends on how you frame it. If the Linux Foundation thinks this kind of research would generate useful information for the kernel project, then the developers' time wouldn't be wasted, just used in a different, yet productive, way. I concede that this is not an easy question, because the developers may have different opinions about the usefulness of this exercise, but at the end of the day, maintainers can run their projects how they see fit.

hinkley 5y ago

The Linux foundation is in a position to ensure that Linux users don’t accidentally get experimented on when the PRs are approved.

dec0dedab0de 5y ago

Why would the Linux Foundation get to decide on if those researchers are allowed to experiment on and waste the time of volunteer developers? Granted, In the case of linux, it might make more sense if it were the combination of the Linux Foundation & Linus. It's their project, they can subject their volunteers to any tests they want. It may drive away some volunteers, but wether to take that risk or not, is up to the project to decide. For something as big as the kernel they may decide to get permission from the individual maintainers, maybe even limit the research to only the subsystems that agree to participate. In any case, the point I'm trying to make, is that this kind of testing may be beneficial, if the project is aware of it, and agrees to it. Who gets to decide on behalf of the project, would depend on the hierarchy of each project.

ghaff 5y ago
There are relatively few volunteers working on Linux. They mostly do it for their day jobs. Though the same criticism applies with respect to wasting time at their various companies. But, yes, there may have been some way of conducting a useful test after receiving permission--probably on a limited subsystem or set of subsystems.

jfrunyon 5y ago

Presumably they would do so after consultation with kernel developers, like uhh... themselves.

ret2plt 5y ago

I think it depends on how you frame it. If the Linux Foundation thinks this kind of research would generate useful information for the kernel project, then the developers' time wouldn't be wasted, just used in a different, yet productive, way. I concede that this is not an easy question, because the developers may have different opinions about the usefulness of this exercise, but at the end of the day, maintainers can run their projects how they see fit.