Linux kernel mailing list: Difference between revisions

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{{Short description|Mailing list for Linux kernel development}}

The '''Linux kernel mailing list (LKML)''' is a [[electronic mailing list]] focusing on the discussion of [[Linux kernel]] development. Many other mailing lists exist to discuss the different subsystems and ports of the linux kernel, but LKML provides the glue that holds the kernel development community together. It is a very high volume list, usually receiving between 200-300 messages a day.

{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

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The '''Linux kernel mailing list''' ('''LKML''') is the main [[electronic mailing list]] for [[Linux kernel]] development,<ref name="kernelTraffic">{{cite web |url=http://www.kerneltraffic.org/ |title=Introduction |website=Kernel Traffic}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Gallivan |first=Michael J. |date=2001-12-29 |title=Striking a balance between trust and control in a virtual organization: a content analysis of open source software case studies |journal=Information Systems Journal |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=277–304 |doi=10.1046/j.1365-2575.2001.00108.x|s2cid=11868077 }}</ref> where the majority of the announcements, discussions, debates, and [[flame war]]s over the kernel take place.<ref name="robert_love_lkd">{{cite book |last=Love |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Love |title=Linux Kernel Development |edition=2nd |date=2005-01-12 |publisher=Novell Press |isbn=978-0-672-32720-9 |chapter=Patches, Hacking, and the Community |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/linuxkerneldevel00love_0}}</ref> Many other mailing lists exist to discuss the different subsystems and ports of the Linux kernel, but LKML is the principal communication channel among Linux kernel developers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Llamosi |first=Albert |title=Reliable Software Technologies - Ada-Europe 2004 |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 3063 |date=2004-07-27 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-540-22011-4}}</ref> It is a very high-volume list, usually receiving about 1,000 messages each day, most of which are kernel code [[Patch (computing)|patches]].

Linux utilizes a workflow governed by LKML,<ref>{{cite book |last=Defillippi |first=Robert |title=Knowledge at Work: Creative Collaboration in the Global Economy |edition=1st |date=2006-09-01 |publisher=Blackwell Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1-4051-0756-3 |page=168}}</ref> which is the "[[The Cathedral and the Bazaar|bazaar]]" where kernel development takes place. In his book ''Linux Kernel Development'', [[Robert Love]] notes:<ref name="robert_love_lkd"/>

== Linux kernel Mailing List Controversies ==

{{quote|If the Linux kernel community had to exist somewhere physically, it would call the Linux Kernel Mailing List home.}}

The LKML functions as the central place where Linux developers around the world share patches, argue about implementation details, and discuss other issues.<ref name="kernelTraffic"/> The official releases of the Linux kernel are indicated by an email to LKML.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Justin R. |last=Erenkrantz |title=Release Management Within Open Source Projects |publisher=Institute for Software Research, [[University of California]] |url=http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf |access-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194517/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Linux-kernel-to-be-suitable-for-enterprise/0,139023166,120107594,00.htm |title=Linux kernel to be suitable for enterprise |first=Peter |last=Galli |date=13 December 2000 |website=ZDNet Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609133017/http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Linux-kernel-to-be-suitable-for-enterprise/0,139023166,120107594,00.htm |archive-date=2009-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-247983.html |title=Test version of new Linux kernel available |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=2 January 2002 |website=CNet}}</ref> New features are discussed and most code is posted to the list before any action is taken.<ref name="robert_love_lkd"/> It is also the official place for reporting bugs in the Linux kernel, in case one cannot find the maintainer to whom the bug should be reported.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/docs/lkml/reporting-bugs.html |title=Reporting bugs for the Linux kernel |first=Richard |last=Gooch |website=Linux Kernel Archives}}</ref> Author [[Michelle Delio]] suggests that it was on LKML that [[Tux (mascot)|Tux]], the official Linux mascot, was suggested and refined,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9605/index.html#119 |title=Re: Linux logo |date=May 1996 |website=Linux-Kernel Archive}}</ref> although the accuracy of her reporting in other stories has been disputed.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2005/05/wired-news-releases-source-review/ |title=Wired News Releases Source Review |date=9 May 2005 |magazine=WIRED |access-date=2018-01-14 |language=en-US}}</ref> Many companies associated with Linux kernel make announcements and proposals on LKML; for example, [[Novell]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/novell-introduces-linux-kernel-debugger/ |title=Novell introduces Linux kernel debugger |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=July 1, 2005 |website=CNet}}</ref> [[Intel]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/intel-red-hat-cure-open-source-hiccup/ |title=Intel, Red Hat cure open-source hiccup |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=17 February 2003 |website=CNet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0212.0/1387.html |title=Proposed ACPI Licensing change |first=Andrew |last=Grover |date=6 December 2002 |website=Linux-Kernel Archive}}</ref> [[VMware]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/20/vmware_linux_xen/page2.html |title=Linux team tells VMware and Xen to get their acts together |first=Ashlee |last=Vance |author-link=Ashlee Vance |date=20 April 2006 |website=The Register}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/175457/ |title=VMI i386 Linux virtualization interface proposal |first=Zachary |last=Amsden |date=13 March 2006 |website=[[LWN.net]]}}</ref> and [[IBM]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kernel-traffic.org/kernel-traffic/kt20010709_125.txt |title=IBM announces Journaled File System v 1.0.0 |last1=Adam |first1=Buchbinder |last2=Zack |first2=Brown |date=9 July 2001 |website=Kernel Traffic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928191837/http://www.kernel-traffic.org/kernel-traffic/kt20010709_125.txt |archive-date=2007-09-28}}</ref>

[[Jeffrey Vernon Merkey]], a controversial Linux Engineer, has participated in the [[Linux kernel mailing list]] for many years, and although some of his postings were controversial [http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/browse_frm/thread/6049d6d1e2d343b2/98e247efbd141142?lnk=st&q=our+friend+jeff+merkey&rnum=1#98e247efbd141142][http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/tree/browse_frm/thread/784dec1c2d4c1a9e/1d62349c92822d68?rnum=1&q=merkey+netware+conversion&_done=%2Fgroup%2Ffa.linux.kernel%2Fbrowse_frm%2Fthread%2F784dec1c2d4c1a9e%2Ffdb8b272ae5b1132%3Flnk%3Dst%26q%3Dmerkey+netware+conversion%26rnum%3D1%26#doc_1d62349c92822d68][http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/tree/browse_frm/thread/c130b57f1160a566/c070e4fa0ac62c9a?rnum=1&q=novell+attacks&_done=%2Fgroup%2Ffa.linux.kernel%2Fbrowse_frm%2Fthread%2Fc130b57f1160a566%2Faf591df43793114a%3Flnk%3Dst%26q%3Dnovell+attacks%26rnum%3D2%26#doc_c070e4fa0ac62c9a], they were not in the public eye. With the advent of the [[SCO Group|SCO Group's]] lawsuits against [[IBM]] and public claims over its alleged rights to [[Linux]], some of Merkey's LKML postings drew increased attention and raised Merkey's public profile, which had declined since the initial prominence brought by the Timpanogas lawsuit.

Many of these efforts were viewed negatively and as anti-competitive and as outright betrayal by the Linux Community and the ideals of the GPL.

The list subscribers include all the [[Linux kernel#Maintenance_and_long-term_support|Linux kernel maintainers]] as well as other known figures in Linux circles, such as Jeff V. Merkey<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006010200126OSCYKN |title=Linus tells Merkey, "Cry me a river" |date=January 2, 2006 |website=Linux Today |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104083001/http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006010200126OSCYKN |archive-date=January 4, 2006}}</ref> and [[Eric S. Raymond]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32722_2.htm |title=Linus tries to make himself scale |first=Joe |last=Barr |date=February 11, 2002 |website=Linux.sys-con.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210757/http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32722_2.htm |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> A 2000 study found that 14,535 people, from at least 30 countries, sent at least one email to LKML between 1995 and 2000 to participate in the discussion of Linux development.<ref name="gwendolyn_model">{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Gwendolyn K. |last2=Cole |first2=Robert E. |title=The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation |publisher=Haas School of Business, [[University of California]] |date=December 2000 |url=http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf |access-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194148/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref>

=== "Buying Linux" ===

As part of a discussion regarding possible [[copyright infringement]] problems with the [[GPL]] code of the [[Linux]] kernel, as a legal thought experiment [[Alan Cox]] suggested each contributor could attach a price tag of $100,000 dollars for each of their contributions.[http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/8a6c46c6cb95257c?hl=en&] This would provide a baseline cost for infringers and for damages awarded in any legal action. The Linux kernel consists of thousands of files, and many will have been altered by multiple developers. This would set the value Linux at hundreds of millions of dollars, if not billions.

Authors of books such as ''The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation''<ref name="gwendolyn_model"/> and ''Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects'',<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Guido |last1=Hertel |first2=Sven |last2=Niedner |first3=Stefanie |last3=Herrmann |name-list-style=amp |title=Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects |publisher=[[University of Kiel]], Institut fuer Psychologie |url=http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf |access-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109221342/http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf |archive-date=2006-11-09}}</ref> and ''Recovering Device Drivers''<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Michael M. |last1=Swift |first2=Muthukaruppan |last2=Annamalai |first3=Brian N. |last3=Bershad |first4=Henry M. |last4=Levy |name-list-style=amp |title=Recovering Device Drivers |journal=Proceedings of the 6th Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation |publisher=[[University of Washington]] |url=http://www.usenix.org/events/osdi04/tech/swift/swift_html/ |access-date=2007-03-13}}</ref> have made use of LKML for their research studies and surveys.

In response to Alan Cox's suggestion, on October 7, 2004, Jeff V. Merkey made the following offer on the [[Linux kernel mailing list]]:

== Media coverage ==

:We offer to kernel.org the sum of $50,000.00 US for a one time license to the Linux Kernel Source for a single snapshot of a single Linux version by release number. This offer must be accepted by **ALL** copyright holders and this snapshot will subsequently convert the GPL license into a BSD style license for the code. [http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/linux-kernel-cost.html]

The [[LWN.net]] website frequently covers discussion on the LKML, and the newsletter ''Kernel Traffic'' covered the activities of the LKML until November 2005.<ref name="kernelTraffic" /><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.kerneltraffic.org/kernel-traffic/archives.html |title=Archives |website=Kernel Traffic}}</ref> Many internet websites include [[mailing list archive|archives]] of the mailing list, such as [https://lore.kernel.org/lkml lore.kernel.org/lkml],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lore.kernel.org/lkml |title=LKML Archive |website=lore.kernel.org}}</ref> [https://lkml.org lkml.org],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lkml.org |title=Latest messages |website=lkml.org}}</ref> [https://mail-archive.com mail-archive.com]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.mail-archive.com/[e-mail]/ |title=Messages by Thread |website=Linux Kernel}}</ref> and [[marc.info]].{{Dead link|date=March 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-kernel |title=Majordomo Lists |website=vger.kernel.org}}</ref>

== Linus Torvalds on LKML ==

[[Ingo Molnar]] estimated that the development effort to redevelop Linux kernel version 2.6 would be roughly $176M; [[David A. Wheeler]] later refined this estimate further and found the development effort would be about $612M (see "Linux Kernel 2.6: It's Worth More" in the references). In light of this, this offer perplexed many developers; even more so given the existence of several existing [[Berkeley Software Distribution|BSD-licensed operating systems]]. Many Linux developers argued that the offer was a publicity effort to insinuate the Linux kernel was a much smaller project than it is.

[[Linus Torvalds]] is known for angrily disagreeing with other developers on the LKML.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-16/the-creator-of-linux-on-the-future-without-him |work=Bloomberg |first=Ashlee |last=Vance |title=The Creator of Linux on the Future Without Him |date=June 16, 2015}}</ref> Calling himself a "really unpleasant person", he later explained "I'd like to be a nice person and curse less and encourage people to grow rather than telling them they are idiots. I'm sorry{{snd}}I tried, it's just not in me."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/01/19/got_bugs_got_anger_just_get_them_out_says_linus_torvalds/ |title=Buggy? Angry? LET IT ALL OUT says Linus Torvalds |first=Simon |last=Sharwood |website=The Register |date=2015-01-19 |access-date=2015-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/07/passion_of_torvalds/ |title=Torvalds: I want to be nice, and curse less, but it's just not in me |first=Gavin |last=Clarke |website=The Register |date=2012-11-07 |access-date=2015-11-08}}</ref>

His attitude, which Torvalds considers necessary for making his point clear, has drawn opposition from [[Intel]] programmer [[Sage Sharp]] and [[systemd]] developer [[Lennart Poettering]], among others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.slashdot.org/story/14/10/06/1837237/lennart-poettering-open-source-community-quite-a-sick-place-to-be-in |title=Lennart Poettering: Open Source Community "Quite A Sick Place To Be In" |website=Slashdot |date=2014-10-06 |access-date=2015-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.networkworld.com/article/943950/linux-kernel-dev-sarah-sharp-quits-citing-brutal-communications-style.html |title=Linux kernel dev Sarah Sharp quits, citing 'brutal' communications style |first=Jon |last=Gold |website=Network World |date=2015-10-05 |access-date=2015-11-08}}</ref> In 2018 Torvalds took a break from kernel development to work on improving his behavior and instituted a [[code of conduct]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Torvalds Apologizes for His 'Bad Behavior', Takes a Break from Linux |url=https://itsfoss.com/torvalds-takes-a-break-from-linux/ |first=Abhishek |last=Prakash |date=September 17, 2018 |website=It's FOSS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Linus Torvalds Is Taking A Break From Linux, Here's Why? |url=https://fossbytes.com/linus-torvalds-taking-break-from-linux/ |first=Manisha |last=Priyadarshini |date=September 17, 2018 |website=Fossbytes}}</ref>

=== GaDuGi ===

Merkey claimed that his re-licensing offer was intended to support development of a ''"new and more powerful open source operating system developed and transferred to the Native American Community."'', about three months after the initial LKML exchange Merkey lauched his Gadugi project. [http://www.linuxbusinessweek.com/story/47716.htm] This move was consistent with views expressed by Merkey such as ''"Linux companies have cost investors billions of dollars and resulted in the dot.com IPO scams which caused the technology stock market crash of 2002"'' and Merkey's characterization of Linux as a ''"socialist movement that has destroyed the commercial software market in America."'

The project's public life was short lived with the website disappearing a few weeks later. [http://trends.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=05/01/17/2021230&tid=29] It is not known if Merkey has continued the project privately.

=== SCOSee mediationalso attempt ===

* [[kernel.org]]{{snd}} home site for kernel source code distribution

Shortly after the Linux buyout offer, Merkey posted a series of messages in which he claimed to have been in contact with the [[SCO Group]] executives regarding [[SCO-Linux controversies]].[http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/970476b2c4ef2a3d] Merkey reported having seen concrete evidence of infringement in Linux, and urged Linux developers to remove [[XFS]], [[JFS]] and [[Non-Uniform Memory Access|NUMA]] code from the kernel.[http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/f1daa143ac1f28f1] He later offered to handle the controversy "''as an advocate of the Linux Community''."[http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/99bb40e6ff88d37e] Merkey also relayed an offer from [[Darl McBride]] that the [[SCO Group]] would certify as non-infringing any Linux system from which [[RCU]], [[Non-Uniform Memory Access|NUMA]], [[JFS]], [[XFS]], [[Symmetric multiprocessing|SMP]], and all code written by [[IBM]] employees are removed.[http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/5f57860b3464449c] Later, Merkey announced that after conducting an off-line review with [[Linus Torvalds]], it was clear to him that the [[SCO Group|SCO Group's]] claims were false.[http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/594f0b3948fdd64a]

* [[LWN.net]]{{snd}} among other things, provides a weekly LKML news digest

* [[KernelTrap]]{{snd}} former news website

With the offer to buy Linux, other parties grew suspicious that Merkey might be acting on behalf of or in concert with the [[SCO Group]], who were being accused of [[copyright infringement]] for their continued distribution of Linux, and to whom a BSD licensed version of Linux would be advantageous. Merkey vigorously denied this charge. The suspicion led to the [[Groklaw]] site investigating Merkey and uncovering the preliminary ruling in the aforementioned litigation between Novell and Timpanogas[http://www.groklaw.net/article.php?story=20041021131512626]. That lawsuit was settled with no final ruling ever issued. The preliminary ruling has subsequently been widely quoted by Merkey's detractors as it contains statements highly critical of Merkey:

:''... this statement is another example of Merkey's penchant for self-serving, separate reality, dishonesty ... While it is human nature for each of us to put our own spin on events which we observe ... Merkey nonetheless regularly exaggerates or lies in his comments to others about events happening around him. It is as though he is creating his own separate reality.''

=== The "peyote offer" ===

As a result of his offer to buy Linux, Merkey's raised public profile brought other LKML postings to prominence. In this post [http://groups.google.com/group/mlist.linux.kernel/msg/c29b254c15fc5059], originating from Merkey's email address, the author announced that he had shipped a large amount of [[peyote]] for use by [[New York]] residents to help them cope with the after-effects of the [[September 11, 2001 attacks]]. (There are no other reports of such a shipment actually occurring.)

In a 2005 [http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/browse_thread/thread/bee98147a72a589a/5aed0bfbe40782f8 post] to LKML, Merkey denied authorship of the "peyote offer" email following interest from news agencies, claiming that the email had been written by an unknown impersonator with access to his office computer. However, Merkey has not disclaimed authorship of numerous other posts referencing Peyote use. As with the "peyote offer" these appear to come from an email address of someone purporting to be Merkey, although they did not receive the same level of media interest. e.g. [http://groups.google.com/group/linux.kernel/msg/14e007413b842d4c?dmode=source], [http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/msg/f1250df5e0ba2f54?dmode=source], [http://groups.google.com/group/mlist.linux.kernel/msg/62190f9e24233b16?dmode=source], [http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/msg/56e7c54f92dea42f?dmode=source], [http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/msg/1d763e68ccbe6197?dmode=source]. Conversely, Merkey has tried to take a stance against abusive peyote consumption in general. He has emphasized that he is not a customary peyote user, and has written [http://archive.harktheherald.com/archive_detail.php?archiveFile=./pubfiles/prv/archive/2001/December/02/Commentary/78827.xml&archive_pubname=The+Daily+Herald%0A%09%09%09his an editorial] for the ''[[Provo Daily Herald]]'' discouraging peyote use by Native Americans who do not use peyote as part of their traditional practice. Merkey says he is not a member of a tribe that traditionally uses peyote.

== Lawsuits and threats ==

=== Threats ===

Merkey is well known for getting involved in disputes with others. He is also well known for attempting to resolve these disputes by threatening to escalate to a higher authority. This is often in the form of threats of [[Lawsuit|legal action]] and, in some cases, legal action on behalf of another party. [http://www.corante.com/mooreslore/archives/2005/01/25/jeff_vs_merkey.php] [http://groups.google.com/group/fa.linux.kernel/tree/browse_frm/thread/6049d6d1e2d343b2/7f8e966cfcee1eb6?rnum=1&q=our+friend+jeff+merkey&_done=%2Fgroup%2Ffa.linux.kernel%2Fbrowse_frm%2Fthread%2F6049d6d1e2d343b2%2F98e247efbd141142%3Flnk%3Dst%26q%3Dour+friend+jeff+merkey%26rnum%3D1%26#doc_7f8e966cfcee1eb6][http://yro.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=04/11/01/0456243&tid=153&tid=123&tid=95][http://www.peteconnolly.co.uk/blog/archives/000110.html]

A well-known example of such a threat was made after [[Groklaw]] published the Timpanogas preliminary ruling: Merkey threatened legal action "authorized" by [[Novell]]. Merkey also threatened Al Petrofsky, stating that Novell was "coming after" him. [[Novell]] has denied both.[http://scofacts.org/Merkey-other-2005-09-23-letter.pdf]

In September [[2005]] Merkey made threats against [[Wikimedia Foundation|Wikimedia]] and individual editors of [[Wikipedia]], characterizing some Wikipedia editing as "cyber-stalking". [http://www.johncollins.org/ml/2005-09/29-00:10/][http://www.johncollins.org/ml/2005-09/13-17:10/].

=== Lawsuits ===

Despite the threats, there are few examples of Merkey actually pursuing legal action.

As previously noted, some of his LKML postings raised his public profile, led to [[speculation]] concerning his relationship with the [[SCO Group]], and drew increased attention to the preliminary ruling from the Novell v. Timpanogas lawsuit.

On 21 June 2005 Merkey filed a [[lawsuit]], naming numerous [[defendants]] on a very broad range of charges, including but not limited to an allegation of [[libel]] relating to the defendant's comments regarding Merkey in relation to the SCO group [http://www.it-director.com/article.php?page=1&id=12782]. Merkey created http://merkeylaw.com (since erased) to track the lawsuit.

The most notable of the defendants were

* [[Slashdot]]

* [[Bruce Perens]] - in an attempt to play down Merkey's postings to the LKML, Perens had stated that Merkey was someone to be put in people's email [[killfile]][http://lwn.net/Articles/107246/]. Merkey characterised this in his lawsuit as a "file of people to kill" and therefore a death threat.[http://lwn.net/Articles/140872/]

* [[Pamela Jones]] of [[Groklaw]] - believed by many to be the primary target of the lawsuit, since she had previously made public the preliminary ruling regarding Timpanogas.

* [[John Doe]]s 1-200 - The SCOX financial message board hosted by Yahoo[http://messages.yahoo.com/?action=q&board=SCOX] is used by a number of vociferous individuals who had been critical of Merkey's involvement to date. Many assumed some of these individuals ranked amongst the John Does, and so ridiculed Merkey further. [http://www.encyclopediadramatica.com/index.php/Jmerkey][http://www.john.collins.name/cgi-bin/merkey.pl]

As an exhibit to his lawsuit Merkey attached the sealed [[settlement (law)|settlement]] agreement from the Timpanogas action. Owing to a filing error, this document was publicly available for a short time. During this time

Al Petrofsky, amongst others, gained access to it and made it available from his website [http://scofacts.org/merkey.html], removing it a few days later. Merkey added Petrofsky to the lawsuit, with the additional charge of [[treason]].

The initial complaint listed 208 defendants, to whom three were later added.

During the course of the lawsuit five defendants were dropped after reaching agreement with Merkey.[http://www.ip-wars.net/story/2005/9/10/0155/58502][http://merkey.net/jeffstatement.html]

Merkey claims to have reached agreement with [[Slashdot]], but this has not been verified.

The other 205 defendants were all dropped from the lawsuit without reaching agreement with Merkey. The final two parties were dropped on 27 September 2005 with the lawsuit being finally dismissed by Merkey.

Merkey subsequently requested the reopening of the case in order to show cause, on the basis that Petrofky's disribution of the aforementioned sealed exhibit was contemptuous. Judge Dale Kimball permitted reopening of the court noting that the order sealing the document wasn't binding on third parties, but would listen to argument. In December of 2005, Federal Magistrate Judge Samuel Alba ordered Merkey to re-serve Al Petrofsky. Petrofsky had previously written to the court listing technical issues with his original service, thereby questioning its validity.

=== New accusations ===

After he dropped his lawsuit, in December 2005 Merkey restarted his website, merkeylaw.com, and began a list of so-called "Internet Stalkers, Intellectual Property Thieves, and Internet Libelers", including some of his former lawsuit defendants, members of Wikipedia who have edited the Wikipedia article about him, and several other individuals who have attracted his attention. The page made various vague and unsourced allegations, ranging from copyright violations to pedophilia to advocacy of murder, which some of the people involved have vehemently denied, and others have ignored. Merkey had copied and distributed on his website copies of an email he allegedly sent to [[Jimbo Wales]] stating Merkey's intent to seek damages from [[Wikimedia Foundation]] for libel and invasion of privacy, although this email is currently unavailable.

=== Merkey petitions the U.S. Congress ===

As of January 30, 2006, Merkey's site was changed again, this time to a petition to the United States Congress urging them to repeal Section 230 of the [[Communications Decency Act]], which shields Internet access and hosting providers from liability; he wants this repealed so that Wikipedia can be sued. Ironically, Merkey has himself invoked this section on his site in the past in an apparent attempt to shield himself from liability, though this mention has now been removed.

== References ==

{{reflist}}

== External links ==

* [https://subspace.kernel.org/vger.kernel.org.html Subscribe to the Linux Kernel Mailing List]

* [https://lore.kernel.org/lkml/ LKML archive] at lore.kernel.org

* [http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/index.html LKML archive] at Indiana University

* [http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel LKML archive] at [[MARC (archive)]]

* [http://www.kernelpodcast.org/ A semi-daily LKML Summary Podcast]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160701221623/http://www.tux.org/lkml/ Official FAQ of the Linux Kernel Mailing List] (outdated)

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190401191835/http://www.kernelhub.org/ The Linux Kernel Hub]

* [http://www.kerneltraffic.org Kernel Traffic website]

{{Linux}}

* [http://www.tux.org/lkml/ http://www.tux.org/lkml/] - Official FAQ of the Linux Kernel Mailing List.

{{Linux kernel}}

* [http://www.kerneltraffic.org/ http://www.kerneltraffic.org/] - Periodic newsletters summarizing discussions on LKML and other open source mailing lists.

* [http://lwn.net/ LWN.net, a lkml news digest]

* [http://www.merkeylaw.com/ Jeff Merkey's site] - The content of the site sometimes changes drastically, thus the current contents of this site may differ greatly from the former contents described above.

* [http://www.johncollins.org/ml/ Partial mirror of merkeylaw.com]

* {{News reference

| url = http://os.newsforge.com/article.pl?sid=05/12/30/1631252

| title = Linus tells Merkey, "Cry me a river"

| date = December 30, 2005

| org = Newsforge

}}

* {{Web reference

| url = http://www.dwheeler.com/essays/linux-kernel-cost.html

| title = Linux Kernel 2.6: It's Worth More!

| date = 2006-01-09

}}

{{Linux-stub}}

[[Category:Linux kernel]]

[[Category:MailingElectronic mailing lists]]