🚀 go-pugleaf

I would like to share on the public place some feelings about my very
own bug reporting experiences, and GNU.  Maybe some other people would
recognize their own story in this :-).

Control Data and Cray were releasing their operating system in
complete source form -- exactly this freedom the FSF is seeking, save
for the non-redistribution.  On the other end, Digital Equipment, IBM
and Sun did binary only releases, they still do so far that I know.  I
worked several years as a systems analyst in a few big sites using
machines from these companies.

I worked hard and conscienciously to improve all the habitacles in
which I have been.  I always tried having the systems more dependable
and more useful.  However, all companies received the numerous bug
reports I filed, even source code corrections, with some kind of
reluctance, despite the fact that we were buying high prices for full
hardware and software support.  This reluctance was seemingly a
general rule among the companies, for all their users.  All the User's
Group made for interacting specifically with these companies (except
IBM: I did not participate) had as one of their endless purpose:
getting the companies to accept and process bug reports more
conveniently.  Too often, it was a real challenge getting these
companies to simply *recognize* bugs as such.

The GNU project, on the other end, has a totally different approach.
Not only bug reports are accepted, but also processed faster than
anything I ever saw from the big manufacturers.  Moreover, instead of
inducing reluctance, the bug reports are welcomed as *contributions*
to the GNU project.  I do understand this attitude is not unique to
GNU by the time being, it is spreading around, hopefully should I say.
But the quality of support, conjuguated with the very high quality of
GNU subproducts themselves, the goals of the project, the high skills
of the people involved, and the strong and willingful direction, let
me perceive the GNU project as a true blessing.

I have no words to express the true content and relief this induces in
me, so please do believe me when I thank the GNU developers for all
this.  I speak mainly for myself, but also feel that I speak for
several of my friends who live around computers, and certainly for the
whole community in the long view.

-- 
Franc,ois Pinard          ``Vivement GNU!''         pinard@iro.umontreal.ca
(514) 588-4656    cp 886 L'Epiphanie (Qc) J0K 1J0    ...!uunet!iros1!pinard