The title really says it all. Gentoo has become so elephantine that like any large body, it takes more force to keep the momentum going. So, with all the odds, Gentoo is slowing and stagnating. Are there valid concerns about some of the newer ideas? YOU BET. ABSOLUTELY. I’d be a little creeped out if those ideas came out concern-less. But, these days, no matter what your new idea is, it’ll get shot down.
Josh’s post pretty accurately sums up the various reactions that are usual for any new project announcement/proposal. Then there’s the other segment of the population that says we should improve such-and-such first (most likely “${such-and-such}” == “qa”). And I say this: you’re right too. QA should be improved. Guess what, though? No matter how much you improve it, you won’t ever reach perfection. It’s human nature. So, there’s no real point at which you can go “ah well, we have enough QA, now, what ideas do people have for new stuff?” Partly because such a point doesn’t actually exist, and partly because the respondees will be required to fill out this form in triplicate, have it notarized, attach photos, a little bribe, and then wait to be skewered about it, before receiving the next set of forms, of which you only get one, but need to submit back 8 copies, with another 8 photos (updated, not the same ones as before!), have a different notary public attest each one, and then submit back and wait for some sort of answer from some people (council, and all those who feel their toes stepped on).
Now, I realise in this post and in my mail last night I’ve probably alienated a few of the developers who I consider to be my friends. All I can say is that we disagree. I don’t think we disagree on fundamental issues at all, but we do disagree on a few issues, and that should be ok.
I also wonder how many people had a knee-jerk reaction to Stuart’s announcement simply because of a personality clash with Stuart himself. And that is sad, because the technical merits of his project (the announcement of which followed policy exactly — the thing is barely a week old, and still quite in the idea phase) got overlooked in the process.