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> Strikes me as very much the model that's followed by the most successful free software projects. I believe Linus learning some manners for himself would hard

by gkya 13y ago

> Strikes me as very much the model that's followed by the most successful free software projects. I believe Linus learning some manners for himself would hardly slow down neither of Linux or Git, and nor would make him a lesser leader. Seriously, there are better ways of putting things forth, than execrating persons who contribute to Linux/Git for a living, on public mailing lists. Leaders need be responsible of their public speech. Someone who is writing curse words in all caps is not speaking responsibly by definition.

dredmorbius 13y ago
Theo de Raat is another famously short-tempered project leader. In both cases, the result doesn't seem to have hurt what matters: the project themselves and the utility they provide their users. The goal of the projects isn't to protect tender egos. It's to get shit done and make the right decisions. Linus answered one woman who'd criticized his behavior by noting that a key issue for him was making absolutely unambiguously clear how good or bad a given technical suggestion was. And he does that. Here we go: https://plus.google.com/102150693225130002912 https://plus.google.com/102150693225130002912 Because if you want me to "act professional," I can tell you that I'm not interested. I'm sitting in my home office wearing a bathrobe. The same way I'm not going to start wearing ties, I'm ALSO not going to buy into the fake politeness, the lying, the office politics and backstabbing, the passive aggressiveness, and the buzzwords. Because THAT is what "acting professionally" results in: people resort to all kinds of really nasty things because they are forced to act out their normal urges in unnatural ways. As I commented at the time: There's something to be said for being an equal-opportunity asshole, in a fair and balanced manner. And in running the most effective, successful, beneficial, and largest OS development project the world has ever seen. I see Linus's behavior as being an instance of Celine's Second Law: Accurate communication is possible only in a non-punishing situation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celine's_laws\#Celine.27s\_Second\_Law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celine's_laws\#Celine.27s\_Sec... "Huh?" you say? But Linus is punishing communication. No. Linus is communicating. He's expressing a clear view of what is or isn't valuable. The punishment isn't in rating the quality of contributions to the kernel, or usefulness of others' participation in the LKML. It's in criticizing the communications methods used to convey that feedback. Yes, it may be insensitive. But fuck sensitivity
- gkya 13y ago
  Acting professional and being a moral vandal that runs around smashing people on a public mailing list is so far apart, there is a nice point to sit in between as a frank, sincere and straight out leader, that also knows how to speak and communicate. One can “express a clear view of what is or isn't valuable”, with a language that's not vulgar.
  - dredmorbius 13y ago
    Your label doesn't fit.

by gkya 13y ago

dredmorbius 13y ago

Theo de Raat is another famously short-tempered project leader. In both cases, the result doesn't seem to have hurt what matters: the project themselves and the utility they provide their users. The goal of the projects isn't to protect tender egos. It's to get shit done and make the right decisions. Linus answered one woman who'd criticized his behavior by noting that a key issue for him was making absolutely unambiguously clear how good or bad a given technical suggestion was. And he does that. Here we go: https://plus.google.com/102150693225130002912 https://plus.google.com/102150693225130002912 Because if you want me to "act professional," I can tell you that I'm not interested. I'm sitting in my home office wearing a bathrobe. The same way I'm not going to start wearing ties, I'm ALSO not going to buy into the fake politeness, the lying, the office politics and backstabbing, the passive aggressiveness, and the buzzwords. Because THAT is what "acting professionally" results in: people resort to all kinds of really nasty things because they are forced to act out their normal urges in unnatural ways. As I commented at the time: There's something to be said for being an equal-opportunity asshole, in a fair and balanced manner. And in running the most effective, successful, beneficial, and largest OS development project the world has ever seen. I see Linus's behavior as being an instance of Celine's Second Law: Accurate communication is possible only in a non-punishing situation. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celine's_laws\#Celine.27s\_Second\_Law https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celine's_laws\#Celine.27s\_Sec... "Huh?" you say? But Linus is punishing communication. No. Linus is communicating. He's expressing a clear view of what is or isn't valuable. The punishment isn't in rating the quality of contributions to the kernel, or usefulness of others' participation in the LKML. It's in criticizing the communications methods used to convey that feedback. Yes, it may be insensitive. But fuck sensitivity

gkya 13y ago
Acting professional and being a moral vandal that runs around smashing people on a public mailing list is so far apart, there is a nice point to sit in between as a frank, sincere and straight out leader, that also knows how to speak and communicate. One can “express a clear view of what is or isn't valuable”, with a language that's not vulgar.
- dredmorbius 13y ago
  Your label doesn't fit.