Subject: Re: Enable mouse to disable screen
To: Dion van der Grijp <dvdgrijp@mbox3.singnet.com.sg>
From: Perry E. Metzger <perry@piermont.com>
List: port-i386
Date: 01/06/2006 10:46:10
Dion van der Grijp <dvdgrijp@mbox3.singnet.com.sg> writes:
> On 06 Jan, 2006, at 00:13, Perry E. Metzger wrote:
>>
>> Dion van der Grijp <dvdgrijp@mbox3.singnet.com.sg> writes:
>>> On 05 Jan, 2006, at 09:12, Perry E. Metzger wrote:
>>>> Dion van der Grijp <dvdgrijp@mbox3.singnet.com.sg> writes:
>>>>> As far as screenblank(1) is concerned, don't hold your breath. I've
>>>>> also been asking about the non-functional screen blanker for years
>>>>
>>>> We look forward to your patches.
>>>
>>> Nice try. :)
>>
>> I think you mistake my point.
>>
>> NetBSD is not produced by "them". It is produced by "us". If something
>> is bothering you, quit complaining and fix it. "They" aren't going to
>> fix it because "they" don't exist.
>
> Not everyone who uses NetBSD and notices a problem has a ready
> solution at hand, or the necessary (NetBSD) experience to provide one.
> And not fixing an identified problem does not render the feedback any
> less useful or important.
>
> Furthermore, this is not about whether something "bothers" me or
> anyone else; it's about the importance of adding useful and _working_
> functionality to NetBSD -- in the interests of what NetBSD stands for.
> IMO the existing screenblank(1) does not facilitate that at all.

Again, if you think it is important for some functionality to be
added, who do you expect will be adding this functionality if not you?
NetBSD is maintained by its user community. No one is paid by The
NetBSD Foundation to work on the system -- all the software in the
system is the result of work by people like you.

If something isn't happening, you shouldn't expect the non-existent
paid staff to fix the product you've paid nothing to use.  Arguing
loudly about how bad it is that the non-existent staff isn't working
on it won't help. Instead, you should think about how to get the
problem fixed. Usually the most productive way to do that would be to
try to figure out why it is broken and how to fix it, but other
methods (like paying someone to fix it) are also available.

In any case, though, you have to quit thinking about "those people out
there who fix NetBSD". If you want to see the NetBSD staff, look in
the mirror.

Perry