Why do I bother?

I sometimes wonder why I bother. In my position, I deal with criticism on a daily basis. Some of it comes direct to me in emails and pm's.
Then there is negativity by some who lurk on the #puppylinux IRC channel.
Then there are those who post to the forum with superficial, mis-informed, nit-picking, and just plain wrong comments, like in this thread:

http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic.php?t=48160

I really don't need the aggravation. The latest contribution on the forum has prompted me to think some more about my retirement.

My original plan was to retire from Puppy development early in 2010. I want to keep working on Woof and do some Genie coding, and that will likely continue into 2010, 2011.

The multi-user improvement -- yes that is a definite contender for incorporation into Woof. That's a short-term goal, I might do that soon.

Puppy 4.4 and 5.0 are now being developed by the community. That's good. I'll probably give the access to the ibiblio.org site to one or two community members soon.

I won't be bringing out another official Puppy release, so I am now retired in that regard.

What I might do is release a new distro sometime, which is something that I have mentioned before. It will be 100% personal, no irc, no forum, just my thing. In fact, I'm already working on it.
It is not intended to be a general purpose distro.

---

Comments

Apologies
Username: cjp
Barry [i]I deal with criticism on a daily basis[/i]. Barry This phrase hit me hard; it means that those of us who support what you are doing, and benefit daily from what you have already done, don't take the trouble to pass on our thanks and best wishes to you at all, let alone on a daily basis. For which omission I, for one, apologise.

Thanks
Username: John Dubery
"Barry, thank you for Puppy. I use it regularly, and it serves me well. It seems to me to have the right mix of ingredients for a lightweight Linux system, and the effort taken to get everything well is evident. As is the effort in steadily improving the mix version by version. Many thanks.

Captain Bligh
Username: cthisbear
"" The latest contribution on the forum has prompted me to think some more about my retirement. " ///// Unfortunately Puppy users become very passionate about your creation. We just love it to death. Even WhoDo has come out of the woodwork for a few minutes on the forum. And nice to see him. No need for you to get down. Brighten up BK....you have given us choice. You have helped save the planet. You have saved us heaps of money. You have brought cheers when we've revived old computers, recovered hard drives, and even rescued Windows...Ah! the irony of that. I have some gripes with Puppy 4.3.1 A few quibbles. But hey!...I'm human....I can and will be ungrateful. But if I want a fix, more variety... then someone produces a new Puplet. All this started from your humble efforts. This is the bounty that you have given us. So you can go on being Captain Bligh as long as you wish. And I will happily sail with you. And many others await at the gangway. We don't always know we're we are headed. But we have faith in your abilities... most of the time...Ha! Ha! BK.... Hop in the car and go for a nice long drive. Have a cuppa on the road. If you need a donation for the above...sing out. Because I am truly thankful, even when I whinge at you. You give me hope for humanity in a stupid and more cheerless world. Regards....Chris.

Idiots
Username: playdayz
"People do not understand they are in the presence of something special. They don't know how to relate to artists. Their cultural development has been stinted, or something. Now here this Idiots: Artists like Barry can do any damn thing they want and if you don't like it you can go away--go screw up someone else's community.

Idiots
Username: playdayz
"People do not understand they are in the presence of something special. They don't know how to relate to artists. Their cultural development has been stinted, or something. Now hear this Idiots: Artists like Barry can do any damn thing they want and if you don't like it you can go away--go screw up someone else's community.

Thanks Barry
Username: Jos
é Luis Lorente"I will always appreciatte the effort that open source developers do. I've been following the Puppy development forums for a coupleof years now because I want to partcipate myself on these developments. Puppy is a great development, it is not perfect and that is why is under development. I would like to thank you Barry for all your effort and I understand your frustration. I really hope that you change your mind and go back to your original retirement plans but if to release a distro for the comunity is not fun anymore then I am with you and, in your case I would move on to whatever made feel comfortable. Thanks again and good wishes from México. José Luis Lorente

Puppy is unique
Username: Prit
"Hi Barry, I have not been active on the forums. But, I am a regular reader of your blog through my rss reader. Puppy has been a unique distro. In my opinion, your involvement has helped the distro and the community a lot. I think the model where you do some main releases and leave intermediate releases to the community - has been working great. Anyway, just my opinion. Thanks for all the great work.

Thank you Barry
Username: geezer
"AlienJeff: I think Playdatyz uses Opera, and double posting is something Opera does on this blog for some reason. Its not his fault. Barry: I read your blog every day, but I haven't felt the need to respond to any posts until now. I don't use Puppy any more because it doesn't fit my needs, but I still recommend it to people and install it for people. I think its a great distro for its intended purpose. Please don't let a few rotten apples spoil the Puppy barrel. For every rotten apple that posts there are thousands, or even tens or hundreds of thousands, of people that appreciate what you do, including me.

Correction (sorry Playdayz)
Username: geezer
""Playdatyz"in my previous post should be "Playdayz", sorry for the typo. Geezer

Criticism is normal
Username: linuxcbon
"Hi Barry, Criticism is normal ! It means you are someone important, otherwise, nobody would care. But do just like me, ignore 90% of critics because 90% are wrong anyway :) And don't lose time trying to justify yourself : you cannot please 100% of people. But I agree, the numbering in puppy is misleading, I already asked you for details about it :) Regards.

An simple Advice for you Barry
Username: Mistfire
"Barry don't listen to the criticism of the others as long you do the right thing. You must also listen to the opinions and suggestions of the others. Because of this the puppy development will become better If someone tells you something negative about your work, then evaluate it. Your puppy is the best lightweight Linux distro of all. Don't let the others dictate your move. Just make a groove the way you are. I noticed some others called you a dictator, evaluate yourself. If you feel that are become an authoritarian leader then make a change. For me, you are a founder and a leader of puppy linux project. Because of your unique linux distro, I can rescue and recover files from hard disk if the PC was refused to boot or remove undeletable viruses in USB flash drives. Remember be flexible as a Bamboo. Conquer the challenges that you will be met during the puppy linux project. Without your ideas, the puppy will not forever exist. "GOOD LUCK and MORE POWER" Best Regards, [b]Mistfire[/b]

Gracias
Username: Pizzasgood
"I have used Puppy regularly since 0.9.8 - so for about half a decade. I don't agree with every choice you've made, but I obviously agree with more than enough of them to make those I don't negligible! Don't let criticisms get you down. WE APPRECIATE YOU.

puppy love
Username: broomdodger
"Hello Barry It has been puppy love since first use. Best wishes from Santa Cruz, California

Let Us Remember The Messsage of Geeta
Username: shavinder
"I am one of the thousands, maybe millions, who have benefited from Puppy. I can go on trying to cheer you up using the same logic as presented above by many other sincere individuals. But then I remembered Geeta: http://www.geetasaar.com/ Lord Krishna said in Geeta: "You have a right to do your karma, not to its fruits" Give up on the bad-mouthers, give up on insincere people, give up on the criticism and negativity they deliver. Think like this: "Forgive them O Lord, for they know not what they do!" Barry, listen, what you have done uptil now is GOOD KARMA. You have helped people, and more importantly (if for argument's sake we assume that Puppy did not help any one ever) you intention was good, it was sincere, humanity-affirming, positive, something which makes the present world better. Its the intention which matter. You know what you did and your God( if you believe there is one) knows what you did, and quite a lot of people know what you did. Rest may just buzz off. Parting words: Don't give up on Puppy development, give up on the stupid people. regards, Shavinder

"experts"
Username: james c
" Don't let the inane commentary from some of the "experts" (and I use the term loosely) deter you. I'm personally anxiously waiting for these "experts" to create their own distros....after all it's just so easy to create and build something that satisfies [u]everyone[u]. I appreciate all you've done in the past and support whatever decision you end up making. Thanks for Puppy.....

Bullies and Bozos
Username: alienpup
"Barry, There are bullies and bozo's on every bus. Ignore them and they are powerless.

I agree
Username: jrb
"Barry, the more I work with puppy the more I realize what a true work of genius it is. But if it quits being fun, why bother? You have given this brilliant package to the world as a gift and yes there will be people who will look a gift horse in the mouth. But you owe nothing to them or to me or anyone else in regards to Puppy. Take care "not to let the bastards grind you down." In the end you will be happier, healthier and do better work. Thanks for everything you've given us. J

I agree
Username: jrb
"Barry, the more I work with puppy the more I realize what a true work of genius it is. But if it quits being fun, why bother? You have given this brilliant package to the world as a gift and yes there will be people who will look a gift horse in the mouth. But you owe nothing to them or to me or anyone else in regards to Puppy. Take care "not to let the bastards grind you down." In the end you will be happier, healthier and do better work. Thanks for everything you've given us. J

Distrowatch says it all
Username: overdrive
"As of today Oct 28, 2009. Puppy is just one notch below Debian on the list. The "world" *gets* what Puppy is about Barry. And they *LIKE* it! But the reality is our world is not perfect. Some people would complain of the weight, if they had a bag of gold in each hand. No matter what, you are going to have a 2% complain factor. Think of it as just noise. The best thing to remember is the other 98% are really into this "Light and Sweet" concept of yours. Think of them as the signal. You and your team have created what 99% of the programming world could never do. Ignore the noise and instead focus on the signal. It is much stronger... Overdrive

Retirement
Username: Ramachandran
"We need your contribution. Don't retire from your Puppy Development. You are doing great job. Neglect those criticism. Don't think retirement under any circumstance. Nobody has any right to critise you.

4.3
Username: arby
"I for one prefer Puppy 4.3 the way it is! I was quite disappointed in the 4.2 'bling', and very glad to see Barry return for 4.3. For me Puppy is a TOOL, not a glitzy product. Very few people understand the decisions or discipline needed to engineer really elegant solutions. I really believe that Puppy will just fade away without it's creator at the helm.

Thank You!!!!
Username: bruce_n_duane
"Thank you Barry and community for all the effort you have put into Puppy and all the derivatives. You have a distribution which is in the top 10 on DistroWatch. Duane and I discovered Puppy in 2005 and started with Chubby Puppy 1.06. I have followed the growth of Puppy since then burning many many CDs of each new release. Handing them out to all that will take them. Thank you Barry for the wonderful Blog. I have been reading it daily for 2 years. It is wonderful to learn how the software is built and what goes into each release. It has lead me under the hood to see how it works. I have not said much here or on the forum but each day is empty until I have read you blog. Thank you for all your work. I look forward to your continued development of WOOF. I look forward to reading it's development in you blog. You have truly changed the world! -Bruce.

Um...
Username: 01micko
""A picture tells a thousand words".. (dunno who said it) [img]http://meownplanet.net/dejan/eyecandy/misc/non-porky-edit3.png[/img]

Puppy
Username: StevesDogFletcher
"You've made and continue to make a careful, quiet, and important contribution to our basic need for civilization. For becoming civilized. And have influenced, our way of thinking. Not just in terms of computer programs, but in our capability for individual creative human expression. You gave everyday people sophisticated tools for making sophisticated things. You showed us we could use them. You set the virus in motion. You don't have to do anything more than you already have, Barry. But I hope you will. I don't think there's an end to what you have to give. The negative stuff -- it's not what you made. It means nothing. Look at how important you are to the rest of us. Thank you for this brilliant, modest, kind-hearted, and humorous gift. The Puppy. That fearless being. What we must try to be.

OH NOSE
Username: exProphecy
"AW MAN I've been updating my USB stick with only YOUR releases of Puppy! When 4.2 came out, it wasn't really for me but your versions are TOTALLY for me! Nooooseeee you cannot stop =[ =[ =[ I really like your releases the best. <3

puppy
Username: inged
"Not everybody loves chihuahuas as you do, others prefer other breeds... Not many developers have your endurance, so, I hope you continue surprising us for the years to come...

silent users
Username: eprv
"Barry puppy is 7 on distrowatch, just imagine how many silent users worldwide use it at this moment, they vote for puppy, not the small group on the forum. So be sure your way is right and keep on doing what you know best. Thank you

Glory
Username: truth
"You do it for the Glory. The human heart craves it. (I have seen it in my own.) Anything less than Adoration does not satisfy. Now how are you going to get your Fix????

Those who can do, those who cannot, critise
Username: Tony
"Barry, a HUGE thank you for all your incredibly hard work (Think Waynes World "We are not worthy"). "You can't please all of the people all of the time" as they say and there is no reason why you should even try! Just do what you do for the love of it and know that there are thousands of people (if not more) who appreciate Puppy around the world on a daily basis. Am sending you £10 GBP to back up this statement, grab yourself a veggie burger and some Swedish Glace Ice cream on me! All the best Tony

Where has the donations link gone?
Username: Tony
"I found one link that took me to paypal but no option to pay Barry. Am I being dense? Please Barry can you tell me where I can send you some dosh via Paypal! Cheers Tony

Thanks Mate!
Username: Tonsha
"Barry - I've been playing with Puppy since the early 0.8 days and using it as my main distro since the 2 series. It is truly amazing. Thanks for all of your hard work & patience. I think that the number of thanl you comments to your last post gives you and idea 'why you bother' - the work you do benefits the lives of hundreds, nay thousands, of people all over the world. Please keep at it. Your efforts are appreciated. DaveA

Keep moving forward
Username: smil99
"Hi Barry, I do understand your frustrations but bear in mind what many posters here have said here and that must cheer you up. Although not a prophet, you continue to bring light and hope to many all over the world. Personally, I have benefited a lot from you after I ditched windows about three years ago. I read your blog and the puppy forum every day and I am sure there are countless number of silent users who do same. You take time to even answer some of my questions and I indeed consider this an act of selflessness which is a rare gift. This should tell you one thing - that your contributions to the world is unmeasurable. Keep moving forward in your benevolence acts and don't be bothered by inappropriate comments/criticisms and I bet you will be happy forever. Long Live Barry. Long Live Puppy Linux.

Take positive feedback as 'Read'
Username: nic2109
"Given the volume of appreciative entries here, please Barry, don't be downhearted but accept the thanks and praise that's your due. Nick

Thank you Barry !
Username: charlie6
"Hi Barry, I happened to think that «criticism could be part of a genius'life» ... Considering the skills, resources, time and quality you are involving, and giving in Puppy, I can't say enough «THANK YOU BARRY and to the developper team» for the Puppy we receive. I say thankyou not only for Puppy but also for who you are. Cheers (sorry for my weak english) Charlie

Puppy #1
Username: old Puppyfan
"For almost the last 5 years Puppy has been, currently is and hopefully will be one of the most exciting developments in the computer world. Using it since 2005 on a daily basis I feel "guilty" not having said how much I admire BKs skills and genius and that this planet would suck without the people and mindsets behind developments like Puppy. I was sad when I first read BK's retirement announcement some time ago and happy when he came back. It's his baby and he deserves the Kudos. Being in the renewable energy business, trying to make this planet a better place, we have to deal with stupid criticism every single day. We would still live in caves or sit on trees if we would take this serious. All I can say : Barry, you're a GREAT GUY, the computer world needs you and just forget about stupid input on the forum ! There are people out there (quite a few according to the top ten on distrowatch) who are really happy with Puppylinux and would never criticize you. They don't complain because their computer world is perfect and there's nothing to complain about. I'm sure this is the big majority !! THANKS FOR EVERYTHING !! Puppyfan

Keep doing!
Username: AdrianPup
"Hello BarryK! and everybody: I am one of those "silent" Puppy users, I have been working for 3 years with a PC that only can run a lightweight linux distro (guess which one). Every day I read your blog before opening my mail. Thanks Barry. Remember: thanks to your great work many (MANY) PCs are still working in poor countries, and believe me, in this world we are the majority. The best Puppy version is the one you have not code yet, you are a genius, thats why you love Geany. "Men are divided in 2 bands, those who love and create, and those who hate and destroy". Jose Marti. Keep doing Barry! AdrianPup.

destroy all monsters...
Username: bugman
"...and ignore all idiots or you can't please everyone... ...so you've got to please yourself if it wasn't for puppy i'd probably still be running windows 98 [thank you]

Sign of the Times - Great!
Username: Raffy
"Duhh, I never bothered to read that thread! Know what, Barry, what happened to Warren is happening to you now. It is definitely a sign of burnout - after giving a new version all you can, still criticisms fly. But WAIT - the Puppy Linux project that you created is now maturing into two directions: (1) user support, and (2) developer experimentation. The first needs continuity/order whereas the second needs, well, just talent. :) So congratulate yourself, BK!!! Don't forget that #2 is still yours. And don't get offended that #1 has gained ground - it's your triumph, after all. :)

Fighting bitterness.
Username: capoverde
"Naaa! Bitterness... An ugly beast, paves the way to depression. Take a nap, read some computer cartoons like those you showed in this blog, scream, kick or punch some old cushion, but [b]get it off[/b] by all means! (...BTW, how's your back?). Nice to see that so many here are trying to sweeten it up a bit -- me, too: I actually thank you [i]every day[/i] for Puppy, and so are doing my three Puppy-ized friends - they were a bit incredulous at first, hahaha. [i]Can bitterness be kept out of our lives altogether? Probably by avoiding all expectations from others, our conscience being our only serene judge. Not so easy; but then we'd smile placidly at XYZ's criticisms... And no longer at our own.[/i] Cheers.

Silent majority
Username: Mac
"Barry, do whatever pleases you the most and don't concern yourself about the naysayers. All I can say is that I would probably still be tied to Windows if I hadn't found Puppy. It opened up the world of Linux to me and for that I will be forever thankful. I use it all day every day at work, and whenever I use the computer at home. For me it has been the most satisfying, stable and secure OS ever.

Computer love
Username: SH
"First, may I echo all the above sentiments. I Came to Puppy 217 as a Vista refugee, and never really looked back, I often go for months without ever 'needing' to boot to another operating system. I Would not have persisted with Linux had it not been for your work. Although seemingly indestructible, 217 I felt was rendered obsolete by the time 421 arrived, and yes I liked the bling, as did those who saw it (at least It gave a good first impression to potential newbees), however, I've always considered puppy's natural quirky looks (a product probably born of necessity) to be 'cool'. I currently run 421 and 431 Together with Slax, using their menu system on a small flash drive. Works well, (better than the host system in my opinion). Linux will not be the same for me without your input. Thank You

Many Thanks
Username: dtfla
"Barry, Just wanted you to know that Puppy has touched many people in ways you don't know. Example; here in northern Thailand. Arrived at a guesthouse last year. The house computer hard drive died that afternoon. Many guests needing email and travel info and airline bookings. Pulled out my Puppy livecd. Booted up. Problem solved. For months now. The look on people's faces when I tell them they are using Linux. Priceless responses, "I didn't know Linux would do that!! .... Who is this guy in Australia? ... I want to look this up on the internet. You mean this is free! And, no hard drive! Really?? Noooo?" Me, big smile, "Yes. Really!" This introduced people to Linux and Puppy in a critical situation and they were very happy with the results. And, wanted to know more. And, Barry, I have to thank you for something else. The lady owner of the guesthouse was pretty impressed by me doing this. And, after about three months evidently even a little more impressed with me because we are now a couple. So, thanks again. Never thought this would happen to me at this stage of my life (retired engineer). But, a Puppy cd started it. Such, is serendipity. Don

Do what you feel is right
Username: SimonS
"Barry, You have done alot to change people's view of linux. Your distro is and will always be an important leap. It has allowed individuals who do not have money for new equipment to be part of the next great adventure. Thank you for everything. Please don't stop. Some of us depend on it. Simon

If you need a travel break...
Username: Sit Heel Speak
"I _would_ offer you my excellent living-room couch, but, truth is, I may be divorcing soon. So, it might not still be mine when you get here. Still, if ever you decide to look at rainy skinny latte la la land, PM me. The chances are good I can get a vegetarian hermit billeted acceptably, one way or the other (i.e. city or country), provided I have a couple months' notice. Particularly one who is able to pay a modest rental fee. Hope you don't mind mountain and water views. If ever you want to blow your daughter's inheritance on a sightseeing tour of Germany, France, and Italy, or of historic battlefields in the continental U.S., the possibly-about-to-be Mrs. Speak is a guide no more knowledgable and enthusiastic than which you will ever meet. If you can raise US$12,000 by next July, you can accompany me and a bunch of women of all ages with nothing better to do down the Amazon for six weeks in the company of the real thing, authentic Grandmother Shamans.

Why do I bother?
Username: ttuuxxx
"The reason why you bother is because you have a big heart for people. The forum has 19408 registered users so if you get a couple of complaints big deal, for a population of a small city that is not bad at all. There are some people using 2.14X in schools, That I had emails from, Your little OS is proving a free alternative to Windows and also proving a educational tool to thousands of kids around the planet. Why Bother??? can I not make it more clearer people in the forum also have talked about getting you a noble peace prize, That is how much respect they have for you. Really retiring is a tragic way out, you started something really great and your the best at it by far, sure I can easily update your work, but kernels are my stumbling block, If anything when you do retire could you once in a blue moon toss together a kernel for us to update, I'm starting this weekend on educating myself on kernel compiling for the XO OLPG project. Anyways you decide Barry, as the James Bond Song goes "Nobody Does it Better " ttuuxxx

Enough!
Username: BarryK
"Thanks for all the encouragement, but enough, I'm embarassed! I've gotten over my moment of negativity, moving on. Everything that I have stated in the first post still stands. The community is now doing official Puppy releases, and I will work on Woof in the background. And I've got other stuff planned... :happy: ...stay tuned

Good News - Ubuntu 9.10 Final is out :)
Username: panzerpuppy
"Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" has been officially released this morning. Now let's give those Ubuntu users a taste of Upuptu :)

Personal, but public ..
Username: vattimo
"Hello Barry - I offer whatever I can in support of you -- and in support of Puppy. I have minimal programming skills, no real understanding of most of the discussions (I have no idea why the multi-user issue is such a big deal, or why being 'root' is such an issue) and I use older 'outdated' equipment. But I do have an appreciation for wonder when I see it ... With Puppy I have been able to save multiple family's memories (pics/documents/etc.) from the perils of other operating systems and system failures (a Mac that wouldn't boot, but did to Puppy -- and Windows systems which had corrupted files and physically damaged hard drives - but Puppy retrieved everything of importance from both.) -- No idea how the magic worked, but it worked when nothing else would. Perhaps that may be a reason for you to have bothered ... People you don't know, and aren't likely to meet, are happier because of what you have done -- in a time when happiness is sorely needed. BTW - this comment is posted from a USB booted Puppy system using a wireless connection -- on a computer that is, I think, 9 years old. I have no idea how to make Puppy any better ... I just know I am glad I found it (from 2.15 on) --- My thanks and best regards.

Dogs had fun, too
Username: Raffy
"Not only people had fun with Puppy, dogs, too (the real puppy): Sniffing/Testing... [img]http://puppylinux.org/news/userfiles/amazing-box-puppy-sniff-400px.jpg[/img] OK, it passed! Now it's time to play... [img]http://puppylinux.org/news/userfiles/amazing-box-puppy-ok-400px.jpg[/img] Cheers.

Our Whole Family Uses Puppy
Username: edoc
"I had used about every distro out there until a few years ago I discovered Puppy. My programming skills are long-since stale so I am about useless to development, and my schedule is overloaded with non-geek stuff. That said, we have several computers in our family and every one of them runs Puppy, from the 7yr old to the teens to my wife's casual and home school use, and my two laptops for work and home. Puppy is used for education and entertainment, Amateur Radio and sermon preparation, political activism and alternative energy. 100% of our very diverse family computer use is Puppy-based ... we even added an Australian Shepherd-Catahoula puppy to the family! I have heard from a number of people who have tried and loved Puppy after they saw me mention it or saw in in my E-mail sigs. Stay the course, Barry, however you see it as best for you. 4.31 is the best yet and if that is the foundation for the custom Puppies for the near-term future it sure is a solid one! Woof looks really exciting and Genie is interesting as well ... should I ever find time to learn to code again. Praying for you! Pastor David

Ignore Them
Username: WN2A
"To Paraphrase W C Fields (I think): "Don't pay any attention to them, don't even ignore them". Don't let them get in the way of your fun.

Thank you. Go puppy!
Username: orlandomarcelo
"Whatever be your decision Barry, i wan't to say thank you for everything. Puppy rocks! Greetings from Argentina P.S.: don't retire; your puppy releases are the best! :-)

Y E A H !!
Username: Frank0Brain
"Bazza. You rock. The wankers can go to LFS.org and build their own. You are light years ahead in my book. -Anuvver UWA Ginger Beerin Grad U 8, class of '79

Joy and Sadness
Username: metre9dmt
"Barry, Through Puppy Linux, I began my wonderful journey to Linux and escape from Windows prison. Puppy Linux has been a joy to use and customize. Through it, I learn the intricacies of Linux. The support of the community around it brings gladness to my heart. Unfortunately, there are those who seem to have shallow efforts to boss around the members of the Puppy Linux community. Enough of them! Lets throw them out the forums and the community. Good riddance to them!

Thank you Mr. Kauler
Username: benali72
"Mr. Kauler, I understand how it is to work very hard on something, freely give it to people, and then have to endure negative comments. Maybe it is that people forget there is a real person behind the product, or maybe some don't realize the effort involved. Of course, those who criticize so freely never back up their comments with the effort required to produce an alternative product! But I hope the comments here show you how much positive impact you've had on people's lives with your Puppy. I have installed Puppy on dozens of mature computers for schoolkids who otherwise would not have the same level of computer access. Puppy is essential to their lives, giving them opportunity to learn that they would not otherwise have. What an impact you've had! What you've accomplished is just phenomenal... it has helped people all over the world. Please know that your efforts are appreciated and have really made a difference to many people. Thank you so much.

Thank you
Username: jamesbond
"Please don't be discouraged. For every vocal ungrateful critic, there will be tens of silent thankful majority. I know I'm one of them. Thank you for all you have done. cheers!

WOW
Username: moogsydodong
"wooaaahhhhhhhhhh........ whats this??? 70 comments and counting??? this says it all... Barry...Thanks man!!!

Elegance
Username: jcgrv
"Barry, I discovered PuppyLinux a while back. I had thought to myself "wouldn't it be nice to have an OS run totally from RAM"? Kind of like the pre-PC personal computers (Spectrum, Amstrad, Commodore). Granted they weren't multitaskers, but they were relatively fast. Puppy is so elegant and you've taken so many pains to document and explain its architecture, that one just watches in awe. I've rescued old computers from neglect through PuppyLinux. And the not-so-old provide instant gratification. This is one of the most useful groundbreaking software efforts of all time. Everybody can appreciate its benefits, but computer scientists can admire it like one would a masterpiece. Statistically there will be always idiots around, but he who questions PuppyLinux usefulness might as well question the Theory of Evolution. Thank you. I hope you'll be always stearing the ship, a la Linus.

retirement?
Username: amico
"Retirement you said? That was your first mistake dear Barry! Aren't you really realising that you're going to do the same one again? I've been following and using puppy since it was born nearly ( I cannot recall the version, 0.6 maybe or less...) and from the beginning I believed in your approach of using a computer efficiently. Why? because I've been using a computer a time ago, and my needs and expectations matured with time. I believed in puppy as much as I believed in Linux (as I'm sure many do). And guess what, I've just bought a new laptop, and immediately I asked for a refund of M$-Windows7, (yesss, bells-and-whistles and trallalla windows7) but after I plugged in my puppy-flash and saw it booting... euh... flying...! (note. here in France it's a consumer's right to refuse to pay for a service (=OS) packaged without his acceptance with the product (=computer) he aims to buy, I hope it's the same everywhere in the world) just to share and cheer up 'amicalement'.

Grateful
Username: DaveS
"Sorry, I dont know why you bother, I am just eternally grateful that you do. All the more so after watching Karmic ooze across my screen :)

Why you bother
Username: alienjeff
"From your website: [img] http://puppylinux.com/download/5dollar-us-2.gif [/img] [img] http://puppylinux.com/download/5euro.gif [/img]

Income
Username: BarryK
"alienjeff, No, what I get from CD sales and donations is peanuts. It wouldn't be possible to live on it, even though I live a very simple life. I rely on other jobs, such as some handyman jobs and my Royal Show gig to bring the income up to a level at which I just get by. I could get a "real job", but then I probably wouldn't put much effort into Puppy/Woof. My recent experience at the Royal Show, after a days work I just wanted to relax, take my sister's dog for a walk, plonk myself in front of the TV. I could get work right now. I could walk into any school/technical-college and ask for some part-time work. Relief teaching is quite lucrative. When I was a university lecturer, I had a very good salary, and at one stage I was even running another business on the side. The assets resulting from my lecturing days are no longer mine, I now just have a little old house in the countryside -- but that's another story, from my "previous life". So, what I'm earning now is nothing in comparison, I'm just doing it because that's what I enjoy doing, and I love the independence.

College?
Username: WN2A
"Barry, What subject(s) did you lecture (I would guess Computer Science)? If so, getting back into that and working with students can be quite invigorating, especially with the instant feedback you get from them. Having them work with you on Puppy (or another distribution) might work very well. Making a new release each semester would have each class try to out-do the previous, while working as a team. The team model of First Robotics comes to mind.

Thanks
Username: J L Martins
"I have an old (6 years) laptop. I need something to boot fast and without hassle in class to show figures, pdf-s etc... Puppy Linux just works... My other distro is Mandriva with LXDE. It is much slower and had to do some tweaking (not much) to get it working with the projector. You did a great job!

I dont blog
Username: whinging pom 2
"Sorry to here you were feeling down. I came her via a link from DistroWatch, and have read all the comments. I am maybe to selfish with my time to read your blog I just use the latest version of Puppy excitedly installing it to flash drive as soon as it is released. Although I don’t read the blog and I use other distros as well Barry Kauler is a name etched into my brain since first discovering Puppy shortly after moving to Linux from Windows. I can to some small extent appreciate the genius of what you have achieved but will never appreciate it all as I will never understand all you have achieved. Your name made such an impact with me because using Puppy and understanding a little about it brings home how powerful some special human beings brains are. I stand you up there with Sir Isaac Newton etc and suspect far in the future some SI unit will be named after you long after Bill Gates is only remembered in some boring history lesson. Thank you for your gift to mankind and the very best for the future."3 Nov 2009, 4:22"01184'Many thanks"Kazzamozz"Hi Barry, I came across puppy quite by accident. All I can say is it has rekindled my passion for old computers, and getting them up and running. You are quite amazing at what you do and I look forward to your posts everyday. It's a shame people are so critical, I think they forget this is all "FREE". So don't listen to the crap that comes in the forums, me thinks they are all Windows spies anyway.......... As a newcomer to puppy I have now dropped all windows on my new and old systems, and promote Puppy to anyone who will listen. Puppy is fantastic and I love the challenge and can't wait to see what happens with Quirky So Bravo Barry cheers Kazza

A sincere Thank you
Username: Andrea Ciccone2
"I'm totally new to Puppy Linux, I've just discovered recently looking for a good and light OS to make my old pc work. I want to thank you for your great job, my old pc has a new life now! I know sometimes some people don't behave correctly, but please always keep in mind that there are so many people like me who really appreciated your work all around the world (I'm in Italy). Whatever you choose we respect, but always remember that a majority of quiet people is thankful.

Nostradamus
Username: drbongo
"Hi Barry, you have my sympathy. Puppy was and still is brilliant and the fact the a distro made by someone in a shed in the outback is in the distrowatch top ten is proof of its appeal and quality. However the moment you announced your retirement I got that sinking feeling, as when someone like yourself with a clear vision and determination steps down chaos and in-fighting inevitably ensue! Unfortunately the success of many projects lies in the individual as much as the system itelf, and I think that you either need to let go and move onto a new project, or stay in charge - there is no halfway house. You and puppy were and still are an inspiration to me, and without your example I never probably would have never considered getting into distro development, and I am hoping to emulate your development model, and especially the puplets idea where the community can make their own versions based around a common core - this caters for different tastes/needs and spreads the workload. So I just want to thank you for Puppy, and wish you the best in the future! drbongo

Mr
Username: William Watson
"Mr Kauler I am a HUGE fan of puppy. What you (and your colleagues) have achieved is very special: blindingly fast, easy to understand and install, fun... Nit-pickers have missed the point. Anyone who starts fretting about what precisely is in a package or how it looks should browse through the puplets - or look elsewhere at other flavours of linux. Not for nothing is puppy no 7 in Distrowatch! It's very big thank you from me.

Thank you from the unwashed masses...
Username: JSJS
"While I'm not a member of the Puppy forum, nor have I ever posted before on this blog, I have been a Puppy user for a very long time. I'm one of those thousands and thousands of people who you never hear from, but love Puppy and have used it to bring back to life many discarded old computers. I can't even begin to express my gratitude to you Barry, and the others who have diligently contributed to this great distro. I have given Puppy CD's to many people, and a few of them have also become big Puppy fans. The funny thing is, not a single one of my friends or myself have ever posted a thank you or even asked a question on the forum, because the stuff just generally works. I will now recede back into the group of untold numbers who use Puppy all of the time, but you never hear from us. We all should step forward and say thanks, you might be surprised how many of us their are lurking out there using this fine OS. Take a bit of time off to reflect and regain your energy. You are MUCH appreciated... JSJS

Puppy is a model
Username: Mark Ledbury
"I like Puppy so much, I'm moving to Australia! It strikes me that more than any distro I can think of, Puppy exemplifies what's possible when a formidable creative intelligence and talent actively engages with the community and embraces a truly open-source ethos. For all the spats and ingratitude, remember that the whole Puppy-Puplet-Forum-feedback nexus is the absolute heart of what makes Puppy such a phenomenon. You'll blush when I say it, but when I'm asked to name significant figures in culture (which I am surprisingly often) your name comes immediately to mind alongside Mr Torvalds.

Good news, bad news
Username: Sage
"There is a strong case to argue that all criticism and dissent is of value? In the sciences, certainly it is the stuff of progress. How much better than stark disinterest! No-one doubts the genius of our Dear Leader. However, having created and established a world-leading distro, probably thoughts of 'retirement', 'pursuing personal projects' and generally protesting about the peccadilloes and demands of punters need to be dispelled. "Events, dear boy" in the words of Macmillan, have overtaken you! Life's 'difficult' characters keep us all on our toes - be grateful. Here is THE project to focus upon. Upgrades, updates, patches and, especially, polishing must surely bring even greater accolades and respect? How much better such a gift to posterity? 87 responses confirm how many people care.

Thanks for your work, but I understand if you want to quit
Username: Christopher vanDyck
"Well I, for one, am very glad that you chose to step back to the helm with Puppy 4.3. I really trust your judgement on things better than I would trust a distro which was created in ad hoc fashion by committee. I'm glad you released an official Puppy SMP version :-) Puppy Linux is the only version of Linux where I've seen a way forward for myself to learn about Linux. It's a forgiving system; and it's easy to right things, when you make an error with it. It's presented in a very straightforward fashion. It's your ethic of nurturing newbies that is what makes the difference. But at the same time, your purpose seems to be to put all the tools in people's hands, rather than to do what most Linux creators do, and try to protect people from themselves. However, I certainly agree that if a person is doing a labour of love like this project, and others aren't appreciating what you're doing, then it's time to quit. Young computer geeks are the meanest and most acerbic people on the internet. They can be very presumptuous and arrogant, and often very scornful of those who are asking for help, or who are giving them a gift. One suggestion I would have, is that you could start charging money for some aspect of your work on Puppy; that might, in and of itself, lead to you getting more respect. Otherwise, I certainly would understand if you decide to bow out altogether. However, I think I would find myself drawn back into this kind of project again and again, unless I had cut the cord completely. I'm glad for my own sake if you end up remaining active on Puppy ;-) I'm excited to see what you produce next! I love working with kids, and the great thing about children is that they appreciate adults who care about them and seek to help them. This isn't the case with acerbic teen computer enthusiasts, though.

What people think
Username: puppyite
"Don’t worry about what other people think, they don’t do it very often."10 Nov 2009, 4:31"01184'Thanx!!!!"Duce"Half a world away, at my work, I have that picture of April the young dog hanging up near my toolbox. I myself am only one year into linux Puppy, but after one year it becomes personal. Thank you Barry for what you've done for our planet folk who compute, even when we don't understand bash etc! I'm another of those quiet folk who found the puppy quite by accident and I WILL NEVER GO BACK to the dark ages! I sit here with my 4.21 "bling" and can't be happier ('cuz I can tell you what time it is here in central Minnesota)! When I send you my $20 dollar bill that isn't worth a damn thing on the world market (not if, but when), please know that you and your folk mean a whole lot to us folks just lookin' for a way out of the B S. I am open minded about.... Oh wait, so is everyone else reading this page. Barry, you've "got the world by the ass" and that's not a bad thing! Thank You! Duane

Something special
Username: thoughtjourney
"Hi Barry, I haven't been active around puppy since 2006, but I've always kept my eye on things. I'm now using Puppy again, both on my desktop and on my EeePC and am once again delighted. I learnt so much from using Puppy and from reading your scripts. You know, the very first day I installed Puppy, I wrote a little bash script for myself - the distro just infected me and I felt once again in control of my computer. What attracts me to Puppy most, beyond even the functionality, is your genius, honesty and enthusiasm. Everything you do is well considered and I've always looked up to you. Puppy is stamped with your personality and I hope it is always considered a tribute to you. All the best for the future. Thanks! Amanda

IGNORE TROLLS
Username: Sachin
"Greetings from India! I've been using Puppy regularly as a "safe browsing" and "multimedia" distro because most other Linux distros dont recognise my sound hardware. Cant count how many cool Youtube videos I've watched using Puppy Live CDs. [b]For those whose essence of existence is trolling, the best treatment to kill their appetite is to totally ignore them[/b]. Please don't let trolls change your plans. That will be the ultimate win for the trolls. No way. Here's also a chance for FOSS users to actually do something for FOSS developers - mainly distro-maintainers - [b]Someone should come up with a good "Thank Joe Hacker today" web site which exists solely for users who are interested in appreciating the work of individuals in FOSS.[/b] A bit like SF.Net POTM interviews or LJ interviews. [b]When you have a site that explictly lists the names of hundreds of people who use your software, trolls will probably learn a bit of discretion.[/b] You could put interesting article there along the lines of - [b]trolling never made you spare cash, but contributing code can give you a cool public reputation and maybe gifts and a job.[/b] Then you [b]laugh at trolls by pointing them to the site and saying: Hey you're losing real money by trolling instead of contributing!![/b] And [u][b]The more you troll, the more everyone hates you!![/b][/u] [u]Seriously can anyone make an animated GIF of a cute puppy doing the [b]three-legged salute[/b]?[/u] Make it 800x600 - puppylinux.com/for-trolls.png Watering trolls :cool: is much better than feeding trolls :happy: :happy:

Don't let the terrorists win!
Username: G. C. Grabowski
"I have done intellectual property development, dealt with fans, etc. All I can say is, it happens to everyone, and it's really foolish to let the people who enjoy your work / get something out of it get taken hostage by assholes. I really get a lot out of puppy. Everyone I know who has children will soon have children with computers thanks to Puppy installs on IDE-CF adapters. Some people are just jerks. If you let them dictate your actions, it puts them in control.

Tags: retirement