Oxide and Friends RFDs: The Backbone of Oxide
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Aug 30, 2024 
Robert Mustacchi, the most prolific author of Requests for Discussion (RFDs) at Oxide, joins Ben Leonard, who enhanced their RFD site with features like full-text search. They share the significance of RFDs in streamlining communication and decision-making, with over 500 created in just five years. The duo delves into the importance of documentation formats and navigates the complexities of integration with GitHub. They emphasize RFDs as vital for fostering transparency, collaboration, and the cultural evolution at Oxide.
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PSARC at Sun
- PSARC at Sun required extensive documentation for architectural reviews, which Bryan found valuable.
- The actual review process, however, was often frustrating and political.
Queen's Duck Tactic
- A trick to manage micromanaging reviewers was to include a minor, deliberate issue.
- This "Queen's Duck" tactic, from the game Battle Chess, distracted reviewers from more substantial matters.
Rediscovering Writing
- After Fishworks and early Joyent, Bryan missed the process of writing down ideas.
- This led to the adoption of RFDs, inspired by RFCs, for documenting and discussing technical designs.