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I would not qualify the web UI of "excellent" : understanding the relations between paired devices, remote devices, folders you want to sync, and so on is harde

I would not qualify the web UI of "excellent" : understanding the relations between paired devices, remote devices, folders you want to sync, and so on is harder than what it should be. Likewise, the android application is so bad the best way is to open the web UI on your phone to do stuff (and sometimes, it's the only way to achieve some goals). There is definitely a lot of room for improvement for easier adoption, yet, this is one of the few sync app that work for me, even behind NAT, with closed ports, and so on.

bipson 5y ago
The first thing I really like about syncthing is that it does what it is supposed to do very well (besides very seldom glitches), while not being dropbox, nextcloud, owncloud, etc. but p2p and entirely independent of any external tools/devices/etc. The second thing I like is that it is a successful FOSS project, meaning it works and is being regularly and often improved by its users. Your comment, as helpful as you may feel it is, is contradictory to my second - very strong - feeling. I really think to UI works quite good, and by god, if a better solution is so obvious to you, why haven't you proposed it yet, or - god forbid - made a merge/pull request??
- dolni 5y ago
  > and by god, if a better solution is so obvious to you, why haven't you proposed it yet, or - god forbid - made a merge/pull request?? Because there isn't any obligation to? Why do you think you would be entitled to ask for that?
  - djbusby 5y ago
    Aren't they just suggesting to open a bug/issue in place of complaining on HN? Seems a fair, small ask to me.
    - dolni 5y ago
      There is a discussion being had. This guy was sharing his opinion about syncthing. That still doesn't obligate him to open a bug or do any work for the project.
  - mPReDiToR 5y ago
    "Entitled to ask"? I think freedom of speech allows for it. Can I have a million pounds, from you personally, please? Also, that might be the small nudge which potentially has a user actually contribute in some circumstances. I'm not sure your question is fair.
    - dolni 5y ago
      Perhaps "entitled to ask" is a poor choice of words. Yes, freedom of speech allows bipson to ask about contributing. It still comes across as entitled. The question was clearly laden with some expectation that Reventlov should go do work for syncthing instead of sharing an opinion on Hacker News. We're just here having a conversation. The expectation that a user MUST do something for an open source project because they have an issue is a tired take. It's not as though Reventlov is blowing up Syncthing's development team with demands about how to make it better. And, for all any of us know, Reventlov may have already submitted PRs or opened issues for Syncthing. Or, it could be the case that there's a different piece of software suiting their needs better, and that's fine. Or, Reventlov maybe just doesn't possess the technical skill to contribute in that way. And that's okay too. Bludgeoning people with an open source virtue-stick for sharing an opinion isn't helpful.
      - bipson 5y ago
        Hmm, fair point. But just as much as you consider an "expectation that a user MUST do something for an open source project" is a tired point, I consider the endless ranting by entitled FOSS users an obnoxious trend. And btw. I never said something about "must", I asked why not choosing - OK, maybe strongly suggesting - another option. Maybe you took my question the wrong way, but (maybe just as much misguided) I took the "opinion"/"discussion" not as opinion, but for the lack of any helpful suggestion as merely a rant. I was raised not to needlessly complain about free things, without considering to take things into my own hands. And even if you don't know how to code, suggestions and discussions are better had in an issue tracker, right? Otherwise, what's the point? If one is not a user, and considers something else to be better, why voice such a strong opinion?
spicybright 5y ago
Never really had any problem understanding the relationships, and haven't met anyone that has so far. Then again I'm a programmer. How would you make things clearer?

bipson 5y ago

The first thing I really like about syncthing is that it does what it is supposed to do very well (besides very seldom glitches), while not being dropbox, nextcloud, owncloud, etc. but p2p and entirely independent of any external tools/devices/etc. The second thing I like is that it is a successful FOSS project, meaning it works and is being regularly and often improved by its users. Your comment, as helpful as you may feel it is, is contradictory to my second - very strong - feeling. I really think to UI works quite good, and by god, if a better solution is so obvious to you, why haven't you proposed it yet, or - god forbid - made a merge/pull request??

dolni 5y ago
> and by god, if a better solution is so obvious to you, why haven't you proposed it yet, or - god forbid - made a merge/pull request?? Because there isn't any obligation to? Why do you think you would be entitled to ask for that?
- djbusby 5y ago
  Aren't they just suggesting to open a bug/issue in place of complaining on HN? Seems a fair, small ask to me.
  - dolni 5y ago
    There is a discussion being had. This guy was sharing his opinion about syncthing. That still doesn't obligate him to open a bug or do any work for the project.
- mPReDiToR 5y ago
  "Entitled to ask"? I think freedom of speech allows for it. Can I have a million pounds, from you personally, please? Also, that might be the small nudge which potentially has a user actually contribute in some circumstances. I'm not sure your question is fair.
  - dolni 5y ago
    Perhaps "entitled to ask" is a poor choice of words. Yes, freedom of speech allows bipson to ask about contributing. It still comes across as entitled. The question was clearly laden with some expectation that Reventlov should go do work for syncthing instead of sharing an opinion on Hacker News. We're just here having a conversation. The expectation that a user MUST do something for an open source project because they have an issue is a tired take. It's not as though Reventlov is blowing up Syncthing's development team with demands about how to make it better. And, for all any of us know, Reventlov may have already submitted PRs or opened issues for Syncthing. Or, it could be the case that there's a different piece of software suiting their needs better, and that's fine. Or, Reventlov maybe just doesn't possess the technical skill to contribute in that way. And that's okay too. Bludgeoning people with an open source virtue-stick for sharing an opinion isn't helpful.
    - bipson 5y ago
      Hmm, fair point. But just as much as you consider an "expectation that a user MUST do something for an open source project" is a tired point, I consider the endless ranting by entitled FOSS users an obnoxious trend. And btw. I never said something about "must", I asked why not choosing - OK, maybe strongly suggesting - another option. Maybe you took my question the wrong way, but (maybe just as much misguided) I took the "opinion"/"discussion" not as opinion, but for the lack of any helpful suggestion as merely a rant. I was raised not to needlessly complain about free things, without considering to take things into my own hands. And even if you don't know how to code, suggestions and discussions are better had in an issue tracker, right? Otherwise, what's the point? If one is not a user, and considers something else to be better, why voice such a strong opinion?

spicybright 5y ago

Never really had any problem understanding the relationships, and haven't met anyone that has so far. Then again I'm a programmer. How would you make things clearer?