NewsForge: Media coverage of 2.4 kernel: Generally fair

“It’s been a month and a half since Linus Torvalds released the
Linux 2.4 kernel in a classic bit of understatement — an email
with the subject, “And oh, btw …” to the kernel mailing
list.”

“No major press release, no worldwide tour, but the press
coverage would come soon enough. The tech media’s coverage of the
2.4 kernel has been a combination of accolades and doubts about the
kernel and its importance. Generally, as you might expect, the
Linux media has given the new kernel positive reviews, plus a
plethora of articles on how to do something or another with 2.4.
The more general technology press has been more skeptical about
what this all means; all in all, a fair critique of 2.4, despite
some misunderstandings of how Open Source products are
released.”

“Coverage of the 2.4 kernel goes back to pre-release coverage,
much of it focused on why the kernel was a year behind its loosely
defined schedule, with Wired.com even calling it vaporware. “Late,”
of course, isn’t really a hard and fast concept in the Open Source
world, which has the motto “it’ll be done when it’s done.” That’s
kind of how the Linux kernel works, as several people explained in
this ZD Interactive Investor article. “We don’t do deadlines in the
open-source world, which is a major reason our stuff is right when
it comes out,” the article quoted Open Source advocate Eric S.
Raymond.”

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