Hi, I just can't keep my mouth shut about this any longer and the unnecassary divisions (read demolitions) of KDE packages are the last straw: I've been tracking the development of KDE2 for months and running it quite successfully using "unofficial" debs (cheers to the folks at kde.tdyc for bucking authority!) ... it was fine and coming along very nicely. Was. And all it took was a week or so in the hands of a ridiculously complicated and politically petty beuracracy like this and being subjected to an absurdly complex re-packaging scheme to completely destroy a perfectly useful desktop. First kdm goes, next update strange browser crashes commence, next update the whole desktop is TOTALLY USELESS and no longer even works for ANYTHING! On top of which it is now slated for an unknown eternity in unstable ... well, now that its broken I guess that's where it belongs.
Nice job. I think this is a pretty blatant example of the obvious failings of an aging and inflexible beuracratic empire that cares more for its protocols and levels of "authority" (these things are oh so important, "not trivial matters" at all ...) than making a good distribution anymore. Debian has become an elitist club and it angers me because it is potentially the finest OS available - but I am losing faith in that potential ever being met. And that is very sad. I realize that this does not apply to many Debian developers - but if the general attitude and atmosphere does not change here Debian will drift into obscurity and forfiet the contributions that many talented people would gladly have donated to the cause. The general disdain of "newbies" and atmosphere of thinly veiled contempt (RTFM! ... uh, right; what manual?) combined with an inflexible hierarchical beuracracy are dragging this project into the mud right when it should be taking off with the rest of the linux world. But no, Debian is spending its time arguing about minutia and complaining about how there is too much to be done while keeping "outsiders" waiting for months to even recieve acknowledgement of reciept of application to voluteer (Oh, Yes, You too can help with the Debian Project - just jump through these thirty complicated hoops and apply to be a "developer" and wait around for a year or so and then if we think you're cool ... garbage, why bother?). I'm sorry, being a "Debian developer" does not make one inherently superior to other developers or persons that just use software, nor does it make one's opinions about Debian development more valid - the end user is the one that knows the most about what a piece of software needs to be able to do. And without and end user your software is not superior, it is just useless bits taking up storage. Arrogance and conceit are the signs of decay. And they certainly _not_ conducive to enthusiastic community participation and the resulting high quality software, which was the whole point of the free software movement and the creation of the Debian Project - or was it? Think about it. And try not to prove my point with condescending flames - its not attractive. </CRITIQUE> -- Erik Winn -- Never underestimate. Period. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]