[parisc-linux] Puffin sells out!

[Eric Molitor]

On Wed, 15 Dec 1999, Alan Cox wrote:

> > Reported in the Wall Street Journal Dec. 14, 1999, see
> > <http://www.linuxcare.com/company/press/1999/12-14-99_puffin.epl>.  It was
> > stated that the Puffin Group, a small group of Linux buffs who have been
> > helping Hewlett-Packard Co., is being purchased by Linuxcare Inc.  Alex
> > Devries and Christopher Beard will become directors within Linuxcare's
> > Professional Services Business Unit.
> > 
> > Is this the end?
> 
> That depends what the Puffingroup and HP folks want to do with the port. If
> its carrying on as an open public port and HP are willing to open all 
> their document access and like to other folks I dont see a problem. If they
> work tightly with LC/Puffingroup and trumpet them as their HP Linux porting
> heroes then yes its going to be hard for anyone else to justify working for
> them.
> 
> I doubt HP are dumb somehow. We'll see. Even if HP and LC do most of the
> running in their own private little world it doesnt change things like merging
> with the main kernel tree and working with folks to sort out interfaces and 
> the like.
> 
> Alan

From someone who has watched the PA-Risc port (and might I add, learned a
lot about low level programing issues) I would have to say that it would
be sad to see it go.

From all appearences HP has a strong interest in porting Linux to the
PA-Risc architecture (at least the 2.0 arch.). If I recall correctly
aren't there some HP employees whom get paid to work on the port (at least
for 2.0). Regardless I've allready heard rumors that the port is dead from
several people whom are quite distanced from the actual port. Hopefully
someone will be smart enough to address and clarify this issue before it
gets displayed on slashdot. (Rumors are generally taken as 'fact' if
displayed on Slashdot for whatever reason...)

In the meantime my 715/50 stares at me longing for linux as HP-UX
10.20 thumps along clumsily...

- Eric Molitor
  Network, Admin is traitor!