[ssivark]

To add... Ideally, they should have looped in Linus, or someone high-up in the chain of maintainers before running an experiment like this. Their actions might have been in good faith, but the approach they undertook (including the email claiming slander) is seriously irresponsible and a sure shot way to wreck relations.

[anonymousiam]

Greg KH is "someone high-up in the chain." I remember submitting patches to him over 20 years ago. He is one of Linus's trusted few.

[ssivark]

Yes, and the crux of the problem is that they didn’t get assent/buy-in from someone like that before running the experiment.