“A thread on the Linux Kernel mailing list discussed the process
in place for reporting, bisecting and fixing bugs. In response to a
suggestion that some of the issues could be solved by introducing
new procedures, Al Viro retorted, ‘we’ve got ourselves a developing
beaurocracy. As in ‘more and more ways of generating activity
without doing anything even remotely useful’. Complete with
tendency to operate in the ways that make sense only to bureaucracy
in question and an ever-growing set of bylaws…’ Later in the
thread, David Miller agreed and noted that, ‘the resulting
‘bureaucracy’ or whatever you want to call it is perceived to
undercut the very thing that makes the Linux kernel fun to work on.
It’s still largely free form, loose, and flexible. And that’s a
notable accomplishment considering how much things have changed.
That feeling is why I got involved in the first place, and I know
it’s what gets other new people in and addicted too…'”