Re: Future Direction of GNU Hurd?

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All:

I'm reluctant to say this, because I know several of the people who have
put a lot of their heart and soul into the Hurd over many, many years.

The fundamental problem with the Hurd is the same as it has always been: it
is a solution looking for a problem. Hurd advocates have not been able to
clearly articulate what problem is being solved and why it is a problem
that users should care about or be concerned about. This has been the state
of the Hurd *for 30 years*. I am reluctant to say something so
discouraging, but when a project has not moved forward substantially in 30
years it is probably time to devote your very real and talented energy to
something that will actually have an impact in the world.

We went through this at Xanadu, and it definitely wasn't an easy thing to
admit to ourselves or to act on. It helped, in our case, that we were able
to sell off the intellectual property assets that we had developed.
Nonetheless, the people who had put so much work and so much commitment
into the project were both sad and angry to see it end. Some of the old
guard went and formed a new, open source project to try to carry the work
forward (which was a surprise, because Ted isn't exactly a fan of open
source). Though the participants remain enthusiastic, that project has made
no substantive progress since the 1980s.

At one time, Xanadu and the Dynabook were referred to as "Platinum
Vaporware." Both ended up having significant impact. The Dynabook by
inspiring the current generation of tablet devices, and Xanadu through Tim
Berners-Lee, whose decision to drip transclusion and charging/payment
structures resulted in what we now know as the World Wide Web. I think it
isn't clear yet what the Hurd alumni will build from their experience, but
some of them have certainly done interesting things on other projects.

I'm not trying to make any comment here about technical merit. I'm only
trying to suggest that it may be time to step back, take a deep breath, and
ask yourself what the best way is for you to have an impact on the world.
If it is Hurd, great. If it is not, figure out what it is and go do that.

Respectfully,


Jonathan Shapiro

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<div dir=3D"ltr">All:<div><br></div><div>I&#39;m reluctant to say this, bec=
ause I know several of the people who have put a lot of their heart and sou=
l into the Hurd over many, many years.</div><div><br></div><div>The fundame=
ntal problem with the Hurd is the same as it has always been: it is a solut=
ion looking=C2=A0for a problem. Hurd advocates have not been able to clearl=
y articulate what problem is being solved and why it is a problem that user=
s should=C2=A0care about or be concerned about. This has been the state of =
the Hurd <b>for=C2=A030 years</b>. I am reluctant to say something so disco=
uraging, but when a project has not moved forward substantially in 30 years=
 it is probably time to devote your very real and talented energy to someth=
ing that will actually have an impact in the world.</div><div><br></div><di=
v>We went through this at Xanadu, and it definitely wasn&#39;t an easy thin=
g to admit to ourselves or to act on. It helped, in our case, that we were =
able to sell off the intellectual property assets that we had developed. No=
netheless, the people=C2=A0who had put so much work and so much commitment =
into the project were both sad and angry to see it end. Some of the old gua=
rd went and formed a new, open source project to try to carry the work forw=
ard (which was a surprise, because Ted isn&#39;t exactly a fan of open sour=
ce). Though=C2=A0the participants remain enthusiastic, that=C2=A0project ha=
s made no substantive progress since the 1980s.</div><div><br></div><div>At=
 one time, Xanadu and the Dynabook were referred to as &quot;Platinum Vapor=
ware.&quot; Both ended up having significant impact. The Dynabook by inspir=
ing the current generation of tablet devices, and Xanadu through Tim Berner=
s-Lee, whose decision to drip transclusion and charging/payment structures =
resulted in what=C2=A0we now know as the World Wide Web. I think it isn&#39=
;t clear yet what the Hurd alumni will build from their experience, but som=
e of them have certainly done interesting things on other projects.</div><d=
iv><br></div><div>I&#39;m not trying to make any comment here about technic=
al merit. I&#39;m only trying to suggest that it may be time to step back, =
take a deep breath, and ask yourself what the best way is for you to have a=
n impact on the world. If it is Hurd, great. If it is not, figure out what =
it is and go do that.</div><div><br></div><div>Respectfully,</div><div><br>=
</div><div><br></div><div>Jonathan Shapiro</div></div>

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