Re: [ck] Re: Linus 2.6.23-rc1

[Tomas Carnecky <tom@dbservice.com>]

Linus Torvalds wrote:
> The fact is, I've _always_ considered the desktop to be the most important 
> part. And I suspect that that actually is true for most kernel developers, 
> because quite frankly, that's what 99% of them ends up using. If a kernel 
> developer uses Windows for his day-to-day work, I sure as hell wouldn't 
> want to have him developing Linux. That has nothing to do with anything 
> anti-windows: but the whole "eat your own dogfood" is a very fundamental 
> thing, and somebody who doesn't do that shouldn't be allowed to be even 
> _close_ to a compiler!

That comes from someone whose desktop is a dual CPU Mac with how much 
RAM? 4GB? That can hardly be regarded as the average desktop computer. 
You cannot have computers with heaps of CPU/RAM and claim that you know 
how a Linux feels on a 'normal' desktop. That simply doesn't add up. So 
please stop saying that you're 'eating your own dogfood'. Sure, there 
may be kernel developers who actually test the kernels on older 
computers, but don't tell us that you're using those for your daily work.

That being said, I can't but agree with Con what he said in his recent 
interview, namely that some kernel developers are out of touch with the 
'normal' desktop users who have a bit slower machines (Linus, if you 
indeed use a desktop computer like I described above then this also 
applies to you). And I can't imagine that any of you have done such 
intensive tests of desktop responsiveness etc. like Con did. By all 
means I'm not a 'Con Fanboy', nor want I be involved in the whole 'CFS 
vs. CD' flamewar, but I simply can't let your statement leave unanswered.

tom
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