Comment Evolution (was: Learn your Lessons from History) (Score 1) 60
Yes, yes. That argument is all well and good and would better apply if I were actually proposing that we encourage _penguins_ to sprout opposable thumbs. By advocating that we encourage _Linux_ to grow opposable thumbs I was merely being allegorical. Given your reservations re: the ongoing theory of evolution, perhaps I should have given a nod to the concept of punctuated equilibrium.
Anyway, the base concept of the goodness of fragmentation for Linux development is valid and has been verified by the very nature of how Linux has already "evolved" to its present state. "Locking in" and discouraging diversity at this time would cause much more harm than fragmentation. But this is obvious, isn't it?
To get back to the original thread, I massively respect Ritchie, but I think that his correlation (and it has been made by others in the past) vis a vis the fragmentation of commercial unices relating to the present state of Linux development is unfounded. We must dance to the rhythm of the schisms... ;)
As a postscript, when I refer to 'Linux' here, I am of course referring to the whole ball of wax: GNU/LINUX plus whatever talismans (KDE, GNOME, NetHack, XBill) you care to add to the gumbo...
Anyway, the base concept of the goodness of fragmentation for Linux development is valid and has been verified by the very nature of how Linux has already "evolved" to its present state. "Locking in" and discouraging diversity at this time would cause much more harm than fragmentation. But this is obvious, isn't it?
To get back to the original thread, I massively respect Ritchie, but I think that his correlation (and it has been made by others in the past) vis a vis the fragmentation of commercial unices relating to the present state of Linux development is unfounded. We must dance to the rhythm of the schisms...
As a postscript, when I refer to 'Linux' here, I am of course referring to the whole ball of wax: GNU/LINUX plus whatever talismans (KDE, GNOME, NetHack, XBill) you care to add to the gumbo...
