>> And open source does not mean: Everybody wishes and one has to >> implement the stuff. > You're perfectly right again. But as well "open source" does not mean: > The developers develop software just for their own purposes and the sole > task of the users downloading the software is to find the bugs the dev- > elopers failed to prevent in the first place.
Right. The core idea and expectation of open source is that the users find the bug, fix it and send a patch. But personally I wouldn't go that far. I feel responsible for the code I wrote. That is why bugs get immediate attention when reported. > > Just take the list of QMapShack's prerequisites: NetCDF, Proj, Gdal, or > Mercurial. These all are prospering open source projects with strong > communities consisting of at least core developers, occasional develop- > ers, and plain users. And it's mainly these plain users which give the > necessary feedback about features not applicable in the wild, unergonom- > ic features, and also missing features. That way they help honing rough > edges of the product and thus they help improving it. Sure, the plain > users directly benefit from missing features being added, but so do the > developers by being able to provide a better product. Try to request a feature at the GDAL and Proj4 projects. This group consists of professional specialists having their complete own agenda. They have a group of core developers that have to vote for changes. If you want something, you have to write a RFC, this has to be discussed and voted for. And then _you_ might get a chance to implement it. Compared to that club QMS is really easy to join and to participate. I do not blame them. These are core libraries. I would maintain them the very same way. Besides those projects are of commercial and educational interest, getting support from universities. And, but I might be wrong, there are even some funds to pay development. Try to request a feature at a commercial product you payed for, e.g. for Garmin's stuff. You will learn the meaning of "valued customer we don't care" the hard way. And now have a look at QMapShack. There is no educational or commercial value in the project. It's a consumer grade software. It's main purpose is to compensate the inability of companies like Garmin to write portable software. It's a fun project, a hobby. Do you really think anyone has the right to request anything more than what has already been given? You have a right to use it. You have a right to contribute. But do not mix up requesting with contributing. If you sit on my side you learn to differ between those two words over the years. It was a contribution if it saved you more time than it forced you to spend. > If you just want a product for your own purpose, if you feel annoyed > when someone is suggesting a new feature, why did you start your product > as open source at all? I'm sure you, too, wanted to have a good, a us- > able product. And that's something you are needing the plain users for. > Don't forget that QMS is already perfect software for me. If it wouldn't be I would fix it. But besides that: I started the QLandkarte/QMapShack series 10 years ago as open source, because at my office I benefit from using open source a lot. Thus I felt and feel to pay back. And of course I hoped to get help. As it was never a question whether to open the source or not I did not pay much attention to licenses. Resulting in the GPL vendor lock-in. But that is ok for me. I am really committed to the ideas behind open source. And I feel responsible for the stuff I publish, resulting into 10 years of maintaining the QLandkarte/QMapShack software. I hope that added quite some karma to my open source balance. There where many enjoyable moments and I met many interesting and gifted people. Some even in person. But there are also the annoying situations that sum up and piss me off more and more. If anyone needs a howto on how to piss off open source developers, here you go: 1) Be a smart ass: You don't have your own open source project? You don't even know the topic in detail? No worries, be yourself and brag about what you think is best for the project. Show real astonishment about why this and that has not been done since whatever time. You can always claim you know better because it's more or less guaranteed that you never have to prove it. 2) Poisoned praise: A few warm words of praise are always welcome. But not if you expect something right in exchange. "This is one of the best applications if not the best. But..<list of requirements>" If it would be the best application for you, you wouldn't have to request stuff. So spare everyone the shallow words if you bluntly want something. They don't make it better, they make it worse. (Small side fact: In 10 years I got five mails with just a plain thank you. Nothing else, just a thank you. Five incredible valuable mails to me.) 3) Software X has it. Why is it missing in your software? Well.... probably because this is software Y and not X. If you want X, use X. 4) What is the sense in using your software if there is other software? Damn and I wonder since years why my business plan does not pay off. I knew I made something wrong. 5) It can't be really much effort to implement this. Wow, an expert. Sure, if you think so, why didn't you spend the naught of a time and send a patch. 6) Why is there no <add stuff that needs resources, licenses or maintenance>. Yes, sorry, please file an issue at our customer help desk for refund. 6a) It would be so much better if you supply the resources instead of making everyone organizing that stuff on their own. Yes, sure, I like to have it easy, too. But please visit 6). 6b) My spare time is too valuable than to do... Great, so you think your spare time is more valuable than the one of anyone else? You made my day. 7) I haven't spent much time with your software but I have great plans and you have to implement..<opening issues> Is it really that hard to ask if the software is already able to do what you need, before you squeeze in issues in the tracker? There is my email, there is IRC, there is this mailing list, there are several forums I respond to. The issue tracker is for bugs and requests that have been discussed. Don't spam it with help requests masked as feature request. Or even worse, flagged as bug. 8) "It's not working" is not a bug report. A feature request hardly done in one sentence. That text of conduct you get when creating a bug is really meant seriously. Now, go and give hell to your favorite open source developer! ;) >>> When I ran into this trackpoint list for the first time, I too was ask- >>> ing myself, what the heck is that list good for. >>> ... >> It's there because if it wouldn't be there everyone would ask why it is >> missing. ;) > That's not an answer. At least not if you want a sincere discussion. Seriously, that was meant sincere. Some things are a must-be-on-the-box. It's like that coordinate string in the status bar. No one really needs it, but everyone would complain if it is missing. I guess we do not get rid of that track point list without questions frequently popping up. So it's still in there for the sake of my personal peace. With the risk of getting a request to make it as in QLGT from time to time. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ _______________________________________________ Qlandkartegt-users mailing list [email protected] https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/qlandkartegt-users
