I am beginning to think this discussion is similar to the Boot Logo
thread.
Let me explain this from a different point of view.
People on the kernel list have a good understanding of the Linux kernel,
and almost always a good level of technical knowledge.
So personally, I don't care what goes into /proc/cpuinfo, I don't care
if I get Bogomips ratings instead of MHz, I don't care if I get an
entire list of Intel-only bugs, and I don't even care if I get wrong CPU
stepping information on non-Intel CPUs.
I can live with those, and what I usually do is that I patch the kernel
to suit my needs and tastes. That's the big advantage of GNU/GPL
software. If you don't like it, fix it.
Also, I post my fixes to the kernel list, because I believe other people
have the same problems, and so perhaps by sharing information, we can
help each other.
However, I always feel a resistance to change. An example: 7 or 8 months
ago, I posted both my observation of a kernel oops and a patch that
worked around it. Until now, it had not made it to the kernel. And only
because I insisted until I got half-flamed by Linus, people took notice.
Why? Because I am saying that one small piece of code makes assumptions
that it can't make. This is a technical discussion, so we'll leave it
for another thread.
Now, the problem is that you guys think that most people understand
what's going on. Well, the truth is they don't.
When the average Linux user sees a Bogomips line in /proc/cpuinfo, he
doesn't understand what this thing means. If it said MHz, OK.
Same goes for all the bug related lines, some of which are so old that
they only apply to 386 CPUs (and people who are still using 386s don't
parse /proc/cpuinfo, believe me).
I believe in making Linux simpler to use and more user-friendly. I also
think that assuming blindly that every x86 CPU is made by Intel, and
that whatever differs from Intel must automatically be called a "bug",
without even looking into it, is a shortsighted and biased attitude.
Summarizing: I'll continue posting my occasional patches, comments and
such, and I hope you guys notice that people want a simpler kernel, with
perhaps less features and less performance, but certainly more
stability, less undocumented code and a more user-friendly look.
Now I step down from my soap box and go to sleep.
Cheers to all,
------------------------
André Balsa
andrebalsa@altern.org
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