Re: [gentoo-amd64] Re: Boycott Systemd

[Frank Peters <frank.peters@comcast.net>]

On Tue, 7 Oct 2014 17:45:20 -0400
Rich Freeman <rich0@gentoo.org> wrote:

> 
> And when you look at stuff like Freedesktop the goal is for you to be
> able to plug a USB headset in and have it suddenly usable for phone
> calls, just like on any other modern OS.
>

Here is where I, among many others I would hope, differ philosophically.

The key phrase is "just like any other modern OS."  Is the function
of an OS to do everything for the user?  In my view, an OS is merely
an enabler.  It provides a general framework for executing programs.
Anything beyond this basic, nonspecific functionality is to be left
entirely up to the user.

Freedesktop, or any of its equivalents, should remain just another option
among a wide array of options that is enabled by the basic OS.  The
danger arises when a certain clique of developers, with the backing
of corporate big bucks, unilaterally decides that a general, nonspecific
OS is somehow antiquated, "old school," and irrelevant for modern times.
For such a clique, an OS cannot be bare or sparse, but absolutely must
incorporate certain "features" as standard and inviolable components.

To give an example, regarding freedesktop (FD), color management is one
such feature.  Formerly, color management (CM) was implemented by the user
in his own way using a variety of available tools.  Now, however, CM is to be
accomplished as an integral part of the FD environment with no need for
user supervision, and, even though FD is supposedly only an option, more
and more image/graphics software will likely be written to utilize only
the FD approach rather than to keep CM open and flexible.  All other alternatives
to CM will then be left to slowly rot and wither away.

FOSS developers have to maintain an awareness that there is no One True
Way.  A computer has always been and always will be a general purpose machine.
Therefore, the only rational philosophy for OS development is for an OS
to empower the user to apply this generality for his own needs.