Linked by David Adams on Wed 6th Aug 2008 15:28 UTC, submitted by estherschindler
In an "as told to" article for CIO.com, Linus Torvalds explains how he keeps the Linux people and software on-track. Arguably the most surprising facet of Linus' management style is that he's perfectly willing to flame people when he thinks they're wrong--though he's also happy to be corrected himself. "Part of that, by the way, is not feeling shy about saying impolite things or showing some emotion. So I'd rather flame people for doing stupid things and call them stupid, rather than try to be too polite to the point where people didn't understand how strongly I felt about something." That's particularly interesting in light of several OSCON presenters who believe that the way to grow the open source community is to make projects more welcoming to would-be contributors. Do these attitudes actually contradict one another?
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Member since:
2007-07-27
Maybe I am fuzzy. But the point is that IF you are in a stronger position, being right or having higher IQ or whatever - it is no reason to humiliate others. You can be nice still the same. So anyone being right has the right to hurt others? I cant believe you just wrote that. Whats wrong with you Linux guys?
The whole discussion is strange. Linus states that he can somehow magically see which solution is "being right". I react when I hear this. Is he God? (Yes, he believes so apparantely). Strange guy. What he means is "This is my point of view, I believe in this solution - unless you can convince me". And he rephrases that as "I can see the truth. All my design desicions are correct and no errors. I am perfect". But as we all know, Linux has had bad design problems, Linus rewrites big parts everynow and then.
Normally you have to argue for your point of view, and not state "I am the one who is right. Everything revolves around me". That is arrogant, to not listen ot other people, and always "I am right, I am perfect".
But hey, even you admits he is arrogant. But dont mistake it as Linus is being RIGHT. It is only that his point of view weighs more. Not because he is right and perfect. He makes bad desicions also, the Linux code is flawed. He makes bad desicion, how can that occur if he is always right? No, he only has more weight. More power. He is the maintainer. That does not gives him right to humiliate others. He is not magically right.
To state that one is always right, and other people lesser worth, is arrogant. And he is not right, he has made bad desicions earlier.
I cant understand you accepting his statements. If he told you to eat dog shit, you would do that. Cant you think by your selves? Where are your brains? O_o
Linus is trying to justify bullying (adult mobbing) with saying he is "right"? And you approve without thinking critically "hey what is going on here? What did he say? That he is God? He is right?"
Edited 2008-08-09 01:05 UTC