Source code release [LWN.net]

Source code release

Posted Feb 9, 2008 16:11 UTC (Sat) by corbet (editor, #1)
In reply to: boosting revenue with coupons? by bronson
Parent article: Ten-year timeline part 4: the end and the beginning

If the value of LWN is in a release of a bunch of special-purpose site code rather than in what we write, then perhaps you are indeed better off canceling your subscription.

It's still on the list. I just have never been able to justify spending a week or three on that rather than on trying to keep LWN alive.

One idea that crossed my mind too late last year was to see if we could get a summer of code grant for somebody to do that work. This year I plan to be a bit more on top of things, but can promise nothing.

(Log in to post comments)

Source code release

Posted Feb 9, 2008 20:10 UTC (Sat) by bronson (subscriber, #4806) [Link]

The value in LWN is everywhere.  It's in the articles, it's in the comments, it's in editorial
decisions, its in the editors' presence at conferences, and yes, I think it's in the code too.
If it weren't in the code, wouldn't LWN have switched to Drupal or $CMS by now?

My prediction: the 2010 upsurge in Linux adoption will bring 5X as many subscribers, our
editor will be working even harder just trying to keep the servers up and his readers
placated, he will tire quickly when the Yahoogle browser crushes Linux whole in 2015, and he
will retire to a large house in Aspen a rich rich man.  And the LWN code will still not be
released.  :)

Jon, I kind of hope you never find convenient week or three to polish the code the way you
want.  May you always have more meaningful things to work on.  Still you might do what Linus
did: quietly drop it on an FTP server somewhere, unpolished and full of warts.  Or, at least
reword the FAQ to reflect current realities?

Thanks for LWN, btw.  It's the single most fascinating news site on the internet.

Source code audit?

Posted Feb 28, 2008 23:48 UTC (Thu) by Max.Hyre (subscriber, #1054) [Link]

Should you consider signing on a few volunteers to go through the code, checking for vulnerabilities? I'm willing, have a couple decades of programming experience, and I bet I'm not alone. It would be worth it to me simply to get a few more subscriptions for LWN. :-/

Of course it couldn't be allowed to add to your workload or your worry level.

As for myself, I will take a back seat to no one¹ as a believer in Free Software, and can't see how it conflicts with being a subscriber. Besides, the code isn't being distributed, so even if it were GPLv2, there'd be no breach of license.

¹Well, there is RMS. :-)