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by sliverstorm 4532 days ago
Why not move the machines, and if the Amiga breaks down and they can't find a replacement, end Amiga support? I mean, that's not a wonderful outcome, but what would you prefer to see given the following options?

a) Shut down OpenBSD

b) Shut down Amiga support in OpenBSD

I mean, is it even a hard choice?

Besides, if there are many developers who like developing for Amiga, surely they would be able to find a replacement?
2 comments
weland 4531 days ago
The Amiga port isn't live. It hasn't been maintained for a while IIRC.

There are two important points that shouldn't be forgotten about aggressively pushing cross-platform: it retains developers and exposes bugs. There's a great deal of usefulness behind it, beyond simply making it obvious that the workstations we get today are shit.

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sliverstorm 4531 days ago
Ok, Amiga was just an example I pulled off the top of my head.

I am not suggesting all legacy platforms need to be cut. I'm suggesting that it's possibly an acceptable risk, and also if a replacement UltraSPARC simply cannot be sourced, there can't be that many developers working on UltraSPARC anyway. (Just as an example)

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d_theorist 4532 days ago
Or hidden option c): ask people to donate money.
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sliverstorm 4532 days ago
Well, yes, clearly. But it's been a month since the initial ask, and this sort of "threat":

the fact is right now, OpenBSD will shut down if we do not have the funding to keep the lights on.

suggests the necessary $20k (cash) has not been forthcoming.

P.S. I understand it's not a threat in the sense of ransom etc, but the most correct word is not coming to my mind.

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lobotryas 4532 days ago
I completely agree with your association. In my view OpenBSD is very plainly holding itself hostage for $20,000 cash and expecting everyone to accomodate them.
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aaronem 4531 days ago
Oh, right, I've seen this movie before. [1]

[1] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_JOGmXpe5I

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transitionality 4531 days ago
It's game theory.

All three options exist, but the maintainers pretending that option b doesn't exist at this point in time increases the probability that option c will succeed.

If the pretense doesn't work, be very much assured that they will go with option b.

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