fedora mission (was Re: systemd and changes)

[Matthew Miller]

On Tue, Aug 31, 2010 at 05:43:26PM -0400, Arthur Pemberton wrote:
> Exactly, the key idea is "The niche described is a kind of mix of
> attributes that appeal to entirely different types of
> users/contributors".

It's not a crazy point. :) But I disagree that the niche is as niche-like as
you're making it out to be. The inconveniences caused by adherence to free
software principles aren't that overwhelming, and I'm not sure developers
are really that resistant to stability.

> It is an admirable goal to push for, even it it may nto reflect my own
> desires. However, I believe that it may be analogous to selling vegan
> dishes at a butcher shop.

Nice. :) But I don't think it quite holds. I get the "pure free software =
vegan" analogy, but in what way is a stable (but still forward-thinking and
innovative!) system like a butcher shop?

As I said in my other message, I don't think Fedora reduces to *just* the
intersection you're describing. The contradictory aims may put pressure on
each other, but I think the answer is in finding a proper balance, and
finding ways to reduce or deflect that pressure so that the project as a
whole isn't thrown off.


-- 
Matthew Miller <mattdm at mattdm.org>
Senior Systems Architect -- Instructional & Research Computing Services
Harvard School of Engineering & Applied Sciences