[nycbug-talk] OpenBSD and funding

[Isaac (.ike) Levy]

On January 15, 2014 11:21:56 AM EST, Dan Cross <crossd at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Jan 15, 2014 at 2:44 AM, Brian Callahan <bcallah at devio.us> wrote:
>
>> For those of you not subscribed to the OpenBSD misc@ list, here's a
>> thread you should read, especially if you use OpenBSD:
>> http://marc.info/?l=openbsd-misc&m=138730448307723&w=2
>>
>> Please read the whole thread.
>>
>
> I read the whole thing.  I will not be donating.
>
> Theo really comes off in poor form, throwing sarcasm and dismissal at most
> of the suggestions ("How dare you suggest we take our precious developers'
> time to do something to save our precious project!  Don't we do enough?"
>  No, clearly you don't, otherwise you wouldn't be in this boat.)
>
> Some good points were raised about architecture support; other suggestions
> were made.  Theo's snarky responses, appeal to authority justifications and
> total unwillingness to even consider changes convinced me not to donate.
>
> If you're using OpenBSD, or using one of our sub-projects (which you all
>> are), please think long and hard before dismissing that thread. We really
>> do need the funding.
>>
>
> If you really need the funding, perhaps you could convince the project
> leader not to be such a jerk?  At least not in public?  You may find money
> is more forthcoming then.
>
> If you work in or know someone in a company that uses OpenBSD (or any
>> subprojects) or just one that likes to toss some money the way of open
>> source projects, please send that thread their way as well.
>>
>
> I'll be frank: a subset of the sub-projects are what is important, not
> OpenBSD itself.  OpenBSD seems to slide further and further from overall
> relevance with each release.  If OpenBSD fails, then the communities that
> care about the sub-projects will pick them up and carry them forward.  Or
> not; but for OpenBSD itself?  Well, nobody mourns the death of PR1ME.
>
> Everything helps.
>>
>
> I wonder if they've ever stopped to wonder WHY funding seems to be
> shrinking.  Perhaps that would be step 1.  Step 2 would be to try and
> figure out how to mitigate some of the costs of the project.  Step 3 would
> be to solicit funds.  But when one's hand is out holding one's hat,
> insulting the very people one is seeking assistance from is unlikely to be
> profitable.
>
>         - Dan C.

Your opinion and stance feels pretty rational Dan, if the project were 
truly a community run effort.

Regarding "insulting" users?  I feel you there.  But, if that is 
unacceptable, then OpenBSD dev lists aren't for you :)  I haven't been 
on misc@ in a decade, but that post is nothing, comparied to what I 
remember.

OpenBSD is not run by the users.

We all may feel invested in it, but at the end of the day, it's not our 
decision what to do.  I for one am grateful for this stance: years ago, 
some issues in OpenBSD land, (binary blobs), I used to waffle on- and 
critized the project for being so hard about.  Over the years, I 
changed my tune- and this year, thanks to S n o w d e n, it's apparent 
that *no* project is taking issues like binary blobs far enough :)
So, I find Theo's hard stance here refreshing.  Things like which 
architectures to support, or other technical and organizational issues 
are just not a "user community" decision.

I think Theo should even be lauded for his directness here- "Here's 
what we're doing, we're looking for help from people who like what 
we're doing, and btw the world can all have/fork/do whatever you want 
with our work"

And, regarding funding drying up- this happens over the years for 
*every* open source project, and it's certainly happened to all the 
*BSD's in this young century.  I'm not sure it's a sign that they need 
to change much in the project itself :)

--
With that, as a primarily FreeBSD user, I'm proud to make a 
contribution today.

Rocket-
.ike