[BozemanLUG] ZDNet: ​Linus Torvalds takes a break from Linux

[Scott Dowdle]

Greetings,

----- Original Message from Rob Potter -----
> ZDNet: ​Linus Torvalds takes a break from Linux.
> https://www.zdnet.com/article/linus-torvalds-takes-a-break-from-linux/

Yeah, the fuller story has finally gotten out.  First with LWN's premium story on it (freely available Thursday, Sep. 27th, ask me for a subscriber link if you want it ahead of time)... and then the following story from The New Yorker magazine:

After Years of Abusive E-mails, the Creator of Linux Steps Aside
https://www.newyorker.com/science/elements/after-years-of-abusive-e-mails-the-creator-of-linux-steps-aside

>From the contents of both stories it is possible to construct a simple timeline:

1) Linus was contacted by The New Yorker and asked some questions.  At this point Linus knew where they were going.  I'm sure he was genuinely embarrassed and had a sincere desire to change now that he realized he could no longer deny that he was in the wrong

2) Linus talked to various top-level kernel developers, got Greg KH to agree to take over and finish up the 4.19 development cycle so Linus could take some time off and most likely return to start the next development release (4.20?)

3) A Code of Conduct was quickly located and chosen even if it wasn't perfect (see comments in LWN article), and then a handful of people were given a short amount of time to process the proposed CoC and sign off on it (again, see LWN article) so it could be patched into the 4.18 rc4 release

4) Linus publicly makes his announcement

5) Everyone reacts and the LWN story is written and published

6) The New Yorker learns of Linus' announcement and since they hadn't finished / published their story yet, incorporates Linus' announcement into the story and even makes it the focus of the title

7) People like me start putting all of the clues together and come up with timelines like this :)

I think this incident will be added to the dozen or so inflection points in Linux history.  I'll not bother to enumerate them but how many can YOU think of?  There are some people (just wade through some of the comments on the various Linux-related sites) who seem to think this is the beginning-of-the-end of Linux and to that I say, "Linux is dead; Long live Linux."

I'm actually hoping that more national media outlets pick up this story and FINALLY Linux will get some of the coverage it deserves even if it came as a result of a "scandal".  All press is good press even when it is bad or so they say.  We shall see.  At least the fact that, "Linus changed his mind and fixing it," is included in the initial story.  It definitely could have been much worse.  I congratulate Linus for getting out ahead of the story... and heck, maybe The New Yorker worked with him to make it so?!?  I look forward to seeing how creative Linus will get with his non-abusiveness if you know what I mean. :)

TYL,
-- 
Scott Dowdle
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