Kernel coding no picnic, says Torvalds
Linux project lead Linus Torvalds has said it is not easy to become a major contributor to the Linux kernel.
In an email interview with ZDNet.com.au sister site ZDNet.co.uk last week, Torvalds said that, while it was relatively easy for coders and organisations to contribute small patches, the contribution of large patches, developed in isolation, could lead to both new and established contributors becoming frustrated.
"It's definitely not easy to become a 'big contributor'," wrote Torvalds. "For one thing, the kernel is quite complex and big, and it inevitably simply takes time to learn all the rules, not just for the code, but for how the whole development environment works. Similarly, for a new developer, it will take time before people start recognising the name and start trusting the developer to do the right things."
