Patch pinging

[NightStrike]

On Tue, Jun 29, 2010 at 7:24 AM, Richard Kenner
<kenner@vlsi1.ultra.nyu.edu> wrote:
>> The free software community works on a web of trust and personal
>> relationships.  If you prefer to remain pseudonymous, then you must
>> accept that you will not be at the center of that web.
>
> I agree.  Openness is an important part of the free software community
> and I don't believe that applies only to source code.  I think it's important
> that the community know the people within it.
>
> I reject the analogy with social forums, where anonymity has indeed become
> an important part of Internet culture.  This is a professional, not a
> social, community.  Nobody would expect to be able to work on software
> development for a company if they refused to give their real name.  I don't
> see why they should expect to be able to be part of the free software
> community under similar circumstances.
>

It's not just present on "social community" sites.  Look at the
entirety of sourceforge.  That's quite a large respository of free
software, and yet it consists 100% of fake-named people (and please
understand what I mean by that.)  It's even a place where projects get
tons of donations, and yet these people are completely anonymous.
I've received donations myself through SF, even from not just one, but
several very large corporations -- one of which you wouldn't believe
if I showed you the proof.