[haiku] Re: [GSsC] usermode Haiku or file system development
- From: Stephan Assmus <superstippi@xxxxxx>
- To: haiku@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Wed, 07 Apr 2010 17:07:37 +0200
On 2010-04-07 at 16:08:36 [+0200], Jorge G. Mare <koki@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> PulkoMandy wrote:
> > Le Wed, 07 Apr 2010 15:07:15 +0200, Stephan Assmus
> > <superstippi@xxxxxx> a écrit:
> >
> >> Hm, IMHO some arguemnts don't really apply to the situation at hand. LKL
> >> would only be a dependency if you want to use any of the filesystems it
> >> offers. The CPU architecture argument may be relevant to Google apps and
> >> Wine, but it wouldn't apply to LKL.
> >> After my initial doubts, I am starting to follow Lucian's argumentation.
> >> Each one of us has a different area of interest in the Haiku world. With
> >> some stuff, we are just glad it works and we don't care how. We just
> >> want
> >> it to work reliably. For everyone of us who just wants a filesystem
> >> to work
> >> reliably, LKL may be a good solution. For the very few who care greatly
> >> about providing a native implementation for a particular FS, with
> >> great and
> >> clean code, he can work on it and give LKL one less reason to be used.
> >> After all, we do have a pretty annoying resource problem, where
> >> everyone is
> >> already completely overwhelmed by work on so many things.
> >
> > Sure, I think LKL is a way to get working fs support as a temporary
> > solution and I'd definitely use it. But on the other hand, it's only
> > meant to be temporary and I'm not sure I want a GSoC slot to be used
> > for it. It would be a bit like getting a student working on the Qt
> > port. Sure, this gets us KOffice running... but wouldn't we prefer a
> > clean port of Abiword ?
>
> I realize that my voice may not count as I am not a mentor, but allow me
> to say anyway that I am with PulkoMandy here. For a Haiku GSoC project,
> I would rather see a student work on improving the native filesystem
> drivers instead, to make them better, faster and more stable. That would
> be a well-spent GSoC slot IMO.
>
> In all my ignorance, I also fear that if something like LKL would become
> available, even if as an option, it would remove the incentive from
> (present and future) developers to do any development for or
> enhancements to the native filesystem support, and I have a hard time
> seeing that as a good thing in the long run.
There are actually two scenarios. One scenario is where a developer
discovers Haiku and finds it so great that he begins work on a feature that
he misses. The other scenario, which your argumentation ignores, is that a
potential developer discovers Haiku, but removes it from his hard drive and
forgets about it soon after, for overwhelming lack of various features. The
critical mass is not reached for him. I wonder what happens more often...
Judging from how many new blood we manage to acquire, wouldn't you agree
it's more often the second scenario?
IMHO we cannot truely afford the position you take. It's always worth
dicussing with these things, since we need to actively prevent bloat, but in
this case I belive the project is worthwhile.
Best regards,
-Stephan
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