Dear Pooya,

In response to the following comment
"Nothing related to my demanded task happens."
I am issuing the
"You should demand a refund"
rejoinder.

This is a great article about Free & Open Source Software (FOSS):
http://linux.oneandoneis2.org/LNW.htm
you can read "Dia" almost everywhere in it that it says Linux.  This is a
very good read and cured me of some bad tendencies helping me to understand
what I was dealing with and why.

A final comment.  In quite a long time, 5 years maybe, not a single person
has asked for the function you describe.  I am not able to program
enhancements to Dia, but I am very grateful for the makers of it and their
excellent work.   Every now and then I feel compelled to defend them - it is
the best I can do.  I know with certainty that they have limited time to
VOLUNTEER to the effort of making Dia better.

There is a chance, maybe a large chance, they will choose to fix or enhance
things that more than one person wants, instead of this pet peeve of yours.
 By observation I detect that, because of limited resources, our Dia
benefactors prioritize what they choose to work on, to maximize the positive
effect they can generate with the least effort, to choose what they do in
support of organized and efficient development, and perhaps to work on what
interests them personally.

That being the case, you should make every effort to politely help them
figure out what you are talking about, maybe even offer to help make Dia
better by your own work.  Becoming publicly frustrated is not likely
to cause a lot of activity favorable to your own desires.


Here is a pertinent excerpt from the link above Section 3. Culture Shock;
3a: There is a Culture:

Windows users are more or less in a customer-supplier relationship: They pay
for software, for warranties, for support, and so on. They expect software
to have a certain level of usability. They are therefore used to having
rights with their software: They have paid for technical support and have
every right to demand that they receive it. They are also used to dealing
with entities rather than people: Their contracts are with a company, not
with a person.

Linux users are in more of a community. They don't have to buy the software,
they don't have to pay for technical support. They download software for
free & use Instant Messaging and web-based forums to get help. They deal
with people, not corporations.

A Windows user will not endear himself by bringing his habitual attitudes
over to Linux, to put it mildly.


The biggest cause of friction tends to be in the online interactions: A "3a"
user new to Linux asks for help with a problem he's having. When he doesn't
get that help at what he considers an acceptable rate, he starts complaining
and demanding more help. Because that's what he's used to doing with
paid-for tech support. The problem is that this *isn't* paid-for support.
This is a bunch of volunteers who are willing to help people with problems
out of the goodness of their hearts. The new user has no right to demand
anything from them, any more than somebody collecting for charity can demand
larger donations from contributors.


In much the same way, a Windows user is used to using commercial software.
Companies don't release software until it's reliable, functional, and
user-friendly enough. So this is what a Windows user tends to expect from
software: It starts at version 1.0. Linux software, however, tends to get
released almost as soon as it's written: It starts at version 0.1. This way,
people who really need the functionality can get it ASAP; interested
developers can get involved in helping improve the code; and the community
as a whole stays aware of what's going on.


If a "3a" user runs into trouble with Linux, he'll complain: The software
hasn't met his standards, and he thinks he has a right to expect that
standard. His mood won't be improved when he gets sarcastic replies like *"I'd
demand a refund if I were you"*


So, to avoid problem #3a: Simply remember that you haven't paid the
developer who wrote the software or the people online who provide the tech
support. They don't owe you anything.



-- 
                    Michael E. Ross
      NC Solar Center Test Laboratory
=================================
               (919) 585-5118 best
              (919) 513-0418 desk
           [email protected]
         [email protected]
   =============================


NC Solar Center : www.ncsc.ncsu.edu
Professional Directory : www.greenprofessionals.org

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