[Arm-netbook] Status update

[Christopher Havel]

On a serious note.

We're all here because we believe in something. Specifically, the *same*
something.
We're all here because we believe that, together, we can make that
something happen.
More that that, we're here because we believe, if we make that something
happen, we'll make the world a fundamentally better place, in time.\\

To some degree, that's because we know what we're doing, individually, as
people.
To some degree, that's because we've come to share a vision.
To some degree... well, Bruce Springsteen's "Rainmaker" puts it better than
I ever will... or, perhaps, The Eagles' rendition of the old Joe Walsh
classic, "In The City". Some variation of "there's got to be a better way
than *this*" and "You kind of just have to believe in *something*..."

Text is a limited medium. Email is a subset of that medium. Limited
communication leads to easy misunderstandings... leads to, well, the exact
sort of fracas we're all in.

It seems to me that we've got two choices here. We can continue to sit here
going at it like cats in a bag, in which case -- in all likelihood -- the
entire community we've built up rips itself apart and leaves Luke at Square
Zero, at best -- starting over with a cash deficit, missing cards, and very
few if any helpers. I mean, I'll probably stick around, but let's face it,
I'm not exactly much use to anyone, here or otherwise.

We can do that, or we can sit down at the table, crack our knuckles, and
figure out what we next need to do before going on to do it.

Personally, I don't see much merit in the former option, except that it
probably feels pretty good in the moment to most of you. I find nothing but
grim nihilism in the tearing down and ripping apart of what we've all
worked hard to accomplish. Furthermore, we've all done some stuff in the
past that makes us look like knuckledragging mouth-breathers. I'll admit as
much as anyone, I was thirteen once. We've all done dumb shit. I know I
have, want a list? ;)

Heck, when I was first on here, I was convinced that without Windows
support, this was a dead-end nothing project. You know what? The world
moved on, things changed... and that particular outburst aged like fine,
fine milk ;) At least I'm not famous, it'll never be in the history books
next to quips like the guy from IBM claiming a world market of, what, a
half-dozen computers? or Bill Gates claiming that 640K of RAM ought to be
enough for anyone.

We've all Done The Dumb.

Personally, I trust that, when this is all said and done and out the door,
we'll all have accomplished enough to get our fair pats-on-the-back...
monetary or otherwise. But I'm not here because it pays well, and I don't
think any of us are.

I get that Luke feels like he owes Other Chris. I get that most of
ya'll folks out there feel like you're owed something. But when you look
back, communication over the past year or two or three has been somewhere
between minimal and "this is literally a ghost town". There's probably
unmaintained Linux packages on Github with more message traffic than us
over the past year. I get that there are a lot of stepped-on toes and a lot
of hurt feelings. But this isn't how to handle that. Yelling and screaming
and carrying on and all only makes for a good commercial for Trojan
condoms. Nobody really likes it, it isn't good communication -- hell, it
isn't even good behavior, and that's when you're a preschooler! -- and it
sure as hell doesn't get anything accomplished. All it does is make
noise... *destructive* noise, because it drives us all away from each
other, away from our common goal.

I'm not here for that, and I don't think anyone else here is. Not really.

I'll readily admit, further, that I'm a follower and not a leader... but
the leaders I admire lead by example, lead by how they live and act.
Actions speak louder than words, after all.

Luke, like it or not, you've put yourself on point. Everyone else here is
going on like a "who has the loudest siren" contest at the local fire
department. So, Luke, you tell me what you think the next big step is, and
make me a reasonable case for it, and I'll do what of it I can.

The rest of you sit down, shut up, and wait till your damn turn comes
around again. You've had your time and you've done nothing but caterwaul.
Luke has the talking-stick, and then it goes to me.

Let's get this shitshow back on the road.