Resigning as Asahi Linux project lead (marcan.st)

Article summary

The lead developer of the Asahi Linux project has resigned due to burnout and frustration with the Linux kernel community, citing issues with upstreaming code and a toxic community. The developer had been working on getting Linux to run on Apple's M1 chips and had made significant progress, but faced resistance from some kernel maintainers. The developer also mentions that the Linux kernel development model is designed to encourage upstreaming and punish downstream forks, making it difficult to maintain a downstream tree. The resignation is seen as a significant loss for the project and the Linux community.

Main themes

• Linux kernel development
• Community toxicity
• Burnout and frustration
• Upstreaming code
• Rust in the Linux kernel
• Open-source project management

What commenters say

• The Linux kernel community's resistance to Rust is a major obstacle to the adoption of the language in the kernel.
• The lead developer's public shaming of kernel maintainers was unprofessional and counterproductive.
• The Linux kernel development model is flawed and needs to be reformed to accommodate new languages and contributors.
• The use of Rust in the Linux kernel is necessary for the development of modern hardware support and should be supported by the community.
• The lead developer's resignation is a result of their own actions and behavior, rather than the community's toxicity or resistance to Rust.
• The Linux kernel community's gatekeeping and hostility towards new contributors is a major problem that needs to be addressed.
• The lead developer's decision to create a public hall of shame for kernel developers was a misguided attempt to effect change.
• The Linux kernel community's lack of support for Rust is a sign of a deeper problem with the community's willingness to adapt to new technologies and ideas.