Andrew Morton's speech at OLS

[Darkelve]

See here for Andrew Morton's speech at Ottowa Linux Symposium

 

http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20040802115731932

 

I will post an extract here, one particular paragraph, because I know this is one of Gowator's pet peeves and should make him somewhat happy

 

I have a few words for the Linux vendors here. It’s understandably tempting for Linux vendors of various forms to seek to differentiate their products by adding extra features to their kernels. OK. But moving down this path does mean that there will be incompatible versions of Linux released to the public. This will, by design, lock some of our users into a particular vendor’s implementation of Linux. And this practice exposes the entire Linux industry to charges of being fragmented. And it exposes us to the charge that we are headed along the same path as that down which the proprietary Unixes are deservedly vanishing. I think we all know where these charges are coming from. And it's undeniable that some of the charges do have merit. Certain -- to be very frank here, I don’t view it as a huge problem at this time -- but as a person who has some responsibility for Linux as a whole, I see the perfectly understandable vendor strategy of offering product differentiation as being in direct conflict with the long-term interests of Linux. It’s not for me to tell vendors how to run their business but I do urge them to find other ways in which to provide value to their customers. I strongly oppose the practice and I will actively work to undermine it.

Edited August 3, 2004 by Darkelve