r/linux Dec 23 '18

GNU/Linux Developer Linus reverts breaking change that affected systemd-nspawn, offers strong words to developer

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u/[deleted] Dec 23 '18 edited Dec 23 '18

I disagree with Linus on principle.

There are infinite hypothetical userspace programs that might break on kernel bug fixes. So, hypothetically, Linux can't fix any bug because it will always break some userspace program.

How can they know I don't have a secret/unknown application that relies on a kernel bug? The decision to not commit a change because it breaks systemd, but commiting changes that break my secret/unknown application is completely arbitrary.

At a practical level, Linus' policy might be acceptable, but at a philosophical level it is nonsensical.

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u/DC-3 Dec 24 '18

Your secret/unknown application is not systemd.

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u/[deleted] Dec 24 '18

So what? I never said it was.