Linus Torvalds on regression, laziness and having his code rejected
Want to know what happens if you suggest a way to fix Linux that might solve a major difficulty, but also introduce new problems? To quote Linus Torvalds: " I laugh in your face!"
Linux originator Torvalds is following his long-standing policy of attending the Australian Linux.conf.au conference but not appearing as a presenter in the formal program. However, he offered a number of comments from the floor during a presentation by LWN.net founder Jonathan Corbet on the kernel development process.
Corbet noted that regression — introducing code which helps fix some issues in the open-source OS, but is also known to cause other problems — is actively discouraged. "There is a pretty strong ethic towards not breaking things and I think that has gotten stronger over time," Corbet said.
After an audience question as to whether regression was ever justified, Torvalds was quick to respond. "We've had security bugs that we have to fix and if we have some programs that break, we'll make [that change]," he said. But that situation was uncommon, he added.
"What happens sometimes is the regression takes a long time to be found. If it takes half a ear to find a regression then at that point, it's too bad people. It's clearly too late, it's over and done with, and it's too late to regress from the regression."
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