Linux is not about choice [was Re: Fedora too cutting edge?]

[John Dennis]

Adam Jackson wrote:
> But the chain of logic from "Linux is about
> choice" to "ship everything and let the user chose how they want their
> sound to not work" starts with fallacy and ends with disaster.

+1

FWIW, I tend to believe a good distribution is about limiting choice,
not proliferating it. Limited choice enhances robustness by reducing the
combinatorics of testing. Throwing the entire kitchen sink into the
distribution is anarchy with the expected results.

FWIW I liked the idea of Core vs. Extras because if it was in Core it
was expected to work, if it was in Extras it was buyer beware.

A good distribution works. Choice is provided by optional add-ons with
no guarantees. After an optional package is shown to be robust and well
supported it can be promoted from it's optional status, just as a core
package can be demoted to optional if it fails to meet the requirements
of robustness, security, and support required of the distribution.

-- 
John Dennis <jdennis at redhat.com>