I don't think FOSS is "not all bad." I started my business in 2001 and based it fully on FOSS and software I wrote. If it ever comes down to a choice between two programs and they're anywhere close in abilities, I'll take the FOSS program every time. The reason I'm using an iMac now instead of Linux on my desktop (which I used for about a decade) is because I need video editing abilities that I just can't find on Linux. I've also written a few projects of my own that I've released as FOSS. If you want to control an HD radio with a Linux carputer, there's a good chance you'll be using my code to do it.
However I have the unusual situation where I've had to see FOSS from the point of view of a developer and as a "non-techie" end user. When I'm writing or working in "creative" mode I can't remember things like keystroke sequences and such. I honestly think FOSS programs could and should be much more prevalent than they are, but that we, as FOSS developers and proponents, keep shooting ourselves in the foot. I've seen websites for FOSS programs that toot the program and make it sound like the best thing since sliced bread, but then when you look at help forums, sometimes newbies are called idiots for not knowing what seems obvious to more advanced developers, yet the website isn't well organized and there are few topics in the wiki and most of those are out of date. If those of us who use and create FOSS software want people to use it, then we have to be willing to work with newbies and shepherd them into the fold instead of ignoring help requests or treating less knowledgeable people roughly. We have to be aware of what non-techies need and be willing to help them. >From what I've seen, that happens here, on this forum, but doesn't on a number of others. I'm very pro-FOSS, which is why I am rather quick to criticize parts of the FOSS community that tend to be more "inbred" or exclusive or not as open to helping newbies and outsiders. -- HalNineThousand ------------------------------------------------------------------------ HalNineThousand's Profile: http://forums.slimdevices.com/member.php?userid=12392 View this thread: http://forums.slimdevices.com/showthread.php?t=62565 _______________________________________________ discuss mailing list [email protected] http://lists.slimdevices.com/mailman/listinfo/discuss
