[NCLUG] "red hat - the new redmond?" comment from mainstream online media

[Idris S Hamid]

On Saturday 07 September 2002 12:43, John L. Bass wrote:
> The case is simple - it's about support! when RedHat compiles KDE 3.0.3
> with a new glibc, a new XFT-2 patch which is NOT part of the official (or
> the seperated maintained copy of) QT- 3.x, and with other changes - A user
> simply cannot be supported!
>
>
> 	Hetz
> 	\end{quote}
>
> 	Best wishes
> 	Idris
>
> Taking this issue to the extreme, would require every distro to include
> every version of every library used by every developer of every open source
> product included.

I am not a programmer, but this is a clear straw-man argument. KDE is not just 
any weekend open-source project but a HUGE system with very clear,  
consistent, and _stated_ criteria about which set of libraries and compilers 
are needed for the official distribution. By your own admission u r "taking 
this issue to the extreme". 

Even  "taking this issue to the extreme" your conclusion does not follow. More 
precisely it would require every distributer of KDE to include the 
_particular version(s)_ (by no means every version) of each library used by 
the particular set of developers (who will use the _same_ version) of each 
open source product included [in KDE I presume u meant]. Par for the course 
as far as I can tell.

Much more accurate & much less melodramatic;->  If this is too much to ask of 
a distributor they should find themselves another line of work...

Best
Idris

-- 
Dr. Idris S Hamid
Department of Philosophy
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO 80523