The future of the debian/powerpc port ...

Sven Luther · External Since: May 27, 2007 Posts: 34

Hello,

As promised, i start a fresh thread to discuss the future of the powerpc
port. Just remembering a few relevant facts :

- i was expulsed from debian on Frans Pop's request a few months ago,
when the ban started.

- i requested participation in this evening's d-i irc meeting to
discuss the status of the powerpc port, but the d-i leadership did
discuss this and don't want to work with me, despite my numerous
conciliation attempts in their direction.

- the debian multi-arch support is in limbo, and biarch was deemed not
nice enough, so powerpc64 userland is not for the near future.

- the kernel team, which don't consider myself as a member ayone,
despite my past leadership role and central contribution, has
rejected the PS3 patch set, even though sony themselves maintains
it.

As thus, i see only a few alternatives :

- others come, and do the part of the work i am not able to do. This
is what the d-i leadership wants, in order to make me irrelevant,
but in the now over a years since these events they failed to do so.

- we fork d-i, or whatever part of debian which is blocking. I am
almost prepared to do that, having a nice fast powerpc64 build
machine online, but i don't have the time and energy to do this
alone.

In both cases, the main point is work force, people interested in
contributing, and able to give some of their time for it. Maybe a
powerpc debian fork will be able to muster more interest that the d-i
calls for volunteers, and maybe my personality as leader of such a fork
will be more friendly and open than the d-i team, i don't know.

Another option, but which is not really in my culture or the culture of
debian, is to opt for a kind of payed support scheme, which would allow
my company to actually hire DDs to work on the powerpc port. I already
made some proposals in this area for high end ibm servers setups, but to
little result upto now. It would be interesting to see what is the feedback
of the powerpc/debian community in this regard.

Sorry, if my participation in this or recent discussion sound angry or
complaining, but this is really a sore point for me, who gave so much
effort and time to debian over these past 9 years, and who got rejected
like so much garbage because some guys felt i was not respectful enough,
and don't want to work with me, despite being incapable of actually
replacing the work i had done. So i ask for understanding and to accept
my apologizes if i have inconvenienced you.

Friendly,

Sven Luther

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Charles Plessy · External Since: May 22, 2005 Posts: 371

Le Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 09:05:41AM +0200, Sven Luther a écrit :
>
> In both cases, the main point is work force, people interested in
> contributing, and able to give some of their time for it.

Hi Sven,

I can test the installer on iMac G5 21' rev A when needed...

Have a nice day,

--
Charles Plessy
http://charles.plessy.org
Wako, Saitama, Japan

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Sven Luther · External Since: May 27, 2007 Posts: 34

On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 06:49:52PM +0900, Charles Plessy wrote:
> Le Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 09:05:41AM +0200, Sven Luther a écrit :
> >
> > In both cases, the main point is work force, people interested in
> > contributing, and able to give some of their time for it.
>
> Hi Sven,
>
> I can test the installer on iMac G5 21' rev A when needed...
>
> Have a nice day,

Thanks, but what is needed is more than testing, it is more active
involvement. I will gladly follow and support anyone wanting to get
involved more, just as i have done many times in the past.

Friendly,

Sven Luther

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Sven Luther · External Since: May 27, 2007 Posts: 34

On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 06:21:36AM -0400, Stephen Frost wrote:
> * Sven Luther (sven@powerlinux.fr) wrote:
> > - i was expulsed from debian on Frans Pop's request a few months ago,
> > when the ban started.
>
> [etc, etc, etc....]
>
> The ban on -powerpc was lifted because of numerous comments that you've
> helped people in the past with powerpc issues.

Indeed, and the topic of this mail was about how i can continue to do so
together with the readers who care about the powerpc port.

The facts you removed are just a basis to state the current state of
affairs, which should serve as the basis for discussion on the future.

Among these discussion, it is ok for you to say : i don't care, the
current situation fits me well, but it is clear that this is not the
opinion of other readers.

> Discussion about your removal from Debian, the ban, forking Debian,
> commercialization, your company, etc, etc, are strictly off-topic for

Are they ? I would really much like them to be, but given that they
affected the powerpc port, i believe that they are on topic.

> this list and should they continue then I'll ask for the ban to be
> reinstated. Find another (non-Debian) list for that if you want to
> discuss it, I don't care, but don't do it here.

What other place is better to discuss the current situation of the
powerpc port, and what could be done to improve it ?

And please, tell me, what positive and constructive contribution you
have made to the topic ?

Friendly,

Sven Luther

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Sven Luther · External Since: May 27, 2007 Posts: 34

On Wed, Jul 25, 2007 at 06:21:36AM -0400, Stephen Frost wrote:
> * Sven Luther (sven@powerlinux.fr) wrote:
> > - i was expulsed from debian on Frans Pop's request a few months ago,
> > when the ban started.
>
> [etc, etc, etc....]
>
> The ban on -powerpc was lifted because of numerous comments that you've
> helped people in the past with powerpc issues.
>
> Discussion about your removal from Debian, the ban, forking Debian,
> commercialization, your company, etc, etc, are strictly off-topic for

Just a last point on this topic. my company is just me, and i mentioned
it, not to make money, or commercialize debian, or whatever, but as an
idea which can be discussed, because i recognize that some may care
about the powerpc port, but do not feel that they have the technical
skill to actively participate, or the time for it.

This is also one reason why i participated less in the recent time,
because i simply had less time to devote to debian and since debian
stopped being fun and started to be painful and hurting, well, this
killed my motivation also.

So, let not Stephen's political ranting be in the way of a real
discussion of the future of the powerpc debian port, and what we, the
powerpc users, want for it.

Friendly,

Sven Luther

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