Re: Ego Overload
The Brad guy manages a set of security patches.
Patches that he has questionably licensed (it's GOT to be GPLv2 because they are kernel patches, but now you only get them if you are part of his little clan, and if you distribute them, he threatens to never supply you another patch again).
Patches that he has zero interest in submitting through the proper channels. He regularly claims to have done so but it's mainly just dumps of the entire thing with no breaking down to individual patches. Not even an idiot is going to apply megabytes of patches to the Linux kernel overnight.
Patches that are based on the Linux kernel which is a damn sight harder to manage than just his security patches, but he won't co-operate with anyone, and - as with the licensing - he somehow thinks he should be treated better than anyone else.
I've had a couple of run-ins with him on other forums, nothing to do with the code (I'm happy to assume his stuff works and is worthwhile, technically he's quite clever) but about the attitude. He just expects everyone else to do the work to integrate, because his code is so fabulous, while at the same time refusing to make any effort that way himself and questionably mis-licensing and threatening people. Then he complains about how Linux doesn't have all this stuff.
Instead, BECAUSE of his attitude, the kernel maintainers are reinventing the wheel without bothering to look at his code in case it somehow taints them and causes trouble. You can just imagine the attitude of the above guy if they start just pulling in his code anyway, or copying it wholesale. This completely hinders any integration of his patches. NO ONE will volunteer to pull his stuff across piecemeal (as EVERY OTHER major patch to Linux was handled) because of this attitude. If you speak to the guy, you'll see why.
It seems to me that we have another "BitKeeper" debacle, that's going to end with his patches becoming obsolete, while someone else does the hard work again in another way to do what he could just do overnight.
To be honest, I can even understand his point of view. He knows his stuff. But equally, I can quite understand why no-one will deal with him. And should anyone go to the effort of doing this integration, his patch-set is dead overnight. Nobody will ever remember him. Perhaps that's why he actively hinders efforts.
I've never seen another major kernel patch set where NOBODY will step up to help them integrate any more (it's been tried several times), and where people would rather re-invent the wheel rather than deal with the personality.
TBH: I'm with Linus here.
Biting the hand that feeds IT
