x.org is Hacker Trash

[Ross Vandegrift]

On Fri, Mar 30, 2007 at 02:52:57PM -0700, Kean Johnston wrote:
> I have seen absolutely NO benefit to the modularization of Xorg.
> And PLEASE don't throw out the so-often-repeated-but-meaningless line
> about "the fonts haven't changed in years, with the modular X
> you don't need to download them".

If I may interject here, let me remind you that you are not the
principal target for the benefits of modularisation?  I'd venture to
say that the biggest benefit is on the maintainers, because it eases
their maintainence tasks.  Things like this are development features,
not integration features.

> It has been
> replaced with a highly fractured, largely disorganized set of
> "stuff" that is glued together with good luck and bailing wire
> (to wit: the 7.2 release) that has lost a lot of platform support
> and replaced integral parts of the build process with tools that
> are maintained completely orthoganaly to the X sources.

You really care that much about the build system?  Again, you're an
integrator.  A build system is a development feature.  You're not only
not the target, but you're not the principal user!  You might as well
complain about what source code control system they are using.

Making life easier for development is what has made free software
sucessful, and it's a necessary step in order to streamline progress.
Sometimes this makes life more difficult for end users or integrators.


-- 
Ross Vandegrift
ross at kallisti.us

"The good Christian should beware of mathematicians, and all those who
make empty prophecies. The danger already exists that the mathematicians
have made a covenant with the devil to darken the spirit and to confine
man in the bonds of Hell."
	--St. Augustine, De Genesi ad Litteram, Book II, xviii, 37