At a recent Linux Storage, Filesystem, Memory-Management, and BPF Summit, the discussion centered on the frustrations of the kernel development process, as experienced by developers and maintainers. The main issue was that patch sets are proposed but may not be applied or rejected, making it hard for companies to know the outcome of a development project. Maintainers should provide clear indications to newcomers, ensure patches receive reviews, and provide feedback on ideas. The Btrfs community has made some progress in addressing these problems. The session also discussed communication styles and maintainers’ roles in steering projects. The group emphasized the importance of encouraging reviews and effective communication to keep the kernel development process moving forward.
https://lwn.net/Articles/932215/