I guess what I don't really get is why Ulrich couldn't just post a simplified explanation for the code he checked in. As one commenter put it, to an outside observer Ulrich comes across as an arse.

Even if the technical explanation can't really be simplified effectively, then conveying the impetus for the change would probably have diffused the thread. He wasted more time ordering people to stop opening the bug than he would have spent explaining himself.

I know nothing at all about the "bug" being discussed, but it seems to me that the attitude displayed by the initial two commenters is poor form. I'm not sure what the guy from RedHat has against the guy from SuSE, but it seems like a private phone call could have cleared it all up.

When you work for a company that maintains open source, makes money from open source, and has public discussions about issues with the code, I think you're held to a slightly higher standard. You ought not act like that when your bug tracker is public.

I remember emailing Ullrich Drepper once when I was young and foolish. He hasn't changed.

Unrelated to posted item, but why does Opera tell me:

"The page you are trying to open has been reported as fraudulent. It will likely attempt to trick you into sharing personal or financial information. Opera Software strongly discourages visiting this page."

when I try to go to that site?