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From: torek@horse.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd
Subject: Re: Funding 4.4BSD Development
Message-ID: <24380@dog.ee.lbl.gov>
Date: 4 Jul 92 17:10:36 GMT
References: <1992Jun28.204256.14620@uunet.uu.net> <1992Jul1.232031.15719@gateway.novell.com> <24318@dog.ee.lbl.gov> <5U0HSW2@taronga.com>
Reply-To: torek@horse.ee.lbl.gov (Chris Torek)
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, Berkeley
Lines: 48
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.112.15
In article <5U0HSW2@taronga.com> peter@taronga.com (Peter da Silva) writes:
>You're familiar with the concept of "the tradgedy of the commons". Without
>some authority (official, moral, default) how will continued development of
>BSD occur? Currently there are two authorities standing ready to fill the
>breach: BSDI and Jolitz. The question is: is either of them in a position to
>maintain a coherent core for future development?
Well, anything anyone can say now is merely a matter of opinion. Only
time will tell. And of course, there is an assumption inside that as
well, namely that there will *be* continued development of BSD.
Now, as to authorities: The word `authority' has a number of meanings.
Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary lists these:
1 a: (1) a citation (as from a book or file) used in defense or support
(2) the source from which the citation is drawn
b: (1) a conclusive statement or set of ... (as ... of a court)
(2) a decision taken as a precedent
(3) TESTIMONY
c: an individual cited or appealed to as an expert
2 a: power to influence or command thought, opinion, or behavior
b: freedom granted by one in authority : RIGHT
3 a: persons in command; /specif/ : GOVERNMENT
b: a governmental agency or corporation ...
4 a: GROUNDS, WARRANT <had excellent ~ for his strange actions>
b: convincing force : WEIGHT <his strong tenor lent ~ to the performance>
We can strike 1a, 1b, 2b, 3a, 3b, and 4a as clearly inapplicable. No
one has any official authority; the Berkeley license has seen to that.
That leaves 1c, 2a, and 4b. 1c seems worthless in terms of `future
development'; it is aimed towards expert witnesses (all of meaning 1 is
in terms of `legal authority'). So it comes down to one of two
meanings---either a coordinator, who steers the actual development
(done, no doubt, by the Teeming Millions), or as one with `convincing
force' that My Way is the Right Way.
Well, a coordinator can `steer' simply by picking and choosing. Anyone
can do that; there is tons of software out there for the taking. And
`convincing force' must come from within---though others believe that
Holy Oil of Berkeley will lend some `convincement', I think any such
effect will be at most shallow and short-lived. So my point point is
that if you *want* continued development, you (yes you) can go do it
right now. (Well, okay, right after the tapes go out. :-) ) Any
verbiage is unnecessary. Just sit down at your keyboard and get to
work.
--
In-Real-Life: Chris Torek, Lawrence Berkeley Lab CSE/EE (+1 510 486 5427)
Berkeley, CA Domain: torek@ee.lbl.gov