especially if the small project is linux compatible, linux might be able to take inspiration from it.
I would see them complementing each other, not competing.
Its easy after working on something very long time to get stuck in some specific ways of working. Having more and more piles of *proof* that things will work might ease some minds.
I am not saying that linux maintainers are in the right though. But humans work on this stuff and humans can get very stubborn with age, especially when they are afraid when their way is not the valid way anymore.