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While the authors' reaction is understandable as the software is free, it's also important to take emails like this to heart. Emails like this come from a place

While the authors' reaction is understandable as the software is free, it's also important to take emails like this to heart. Emails like this come from a place of frustration, and there's usually some underlying issue that can be found and improved on. Sometimes users have been frustrated for a long time, and the small issue at hand is irrelevant. It's the whole experience of the software being too cumbersome that leads to a user throwing in the towel sending an email like this.

rs_rs_rs_rs_rs 4y ago
>it's also important to take emails like this to heart If you have a small open source project, absolutely. In the case of Notepad++ I would say this would be a very fast path to burnout. I don't believe anyone has the mental power to deal with the ammount of assholes out there, you will just crash and burn.
- fredsted 4y ago
  Absolutely, ones mental wellbeing is the most important thing. But for this example, I would make a mental note that this could be an area to improve, not write a response like this–which isn't good for your mental health either. It's important to separate your work from yourself. The user was frustrated by the software, not by you.
  - eCa 4y ago
    > The user was frustrated by the software, not by you. Well... > You have made what used to be a good editor into a massive pile of garbage. I’d say the person is frustrated by both.
    - fredsted 4y ago
      Sure, if you read it literally. On the other hand, they're probably angry and writing this sort of thing for venting their frustration.
      - hypfer 4y ago
        > they're probably angry and writing this sort of thing for venting their frustration. Yes but why should the maintainer be obligated to endure that? Just because it's a _human_ thing to do doesn't mean that it's a correct thing to do.
        fredsted 4y ago
        They shouldn't, and I agree.
munificent 4y ago
> it's also important to take emails like this to heart. As someone who works in open source professionally, if I took every email and bug report I got like this to heart, I would have quit software years ago. (Some of my users apparently wish I would.) Sure, glean some actionable information from it if you want, but if you let every frustrated or angry bug report and email impinge on you emotionally, it will destroy your soul.

rs_rs_rs_rs_rs 4y ago

>it's also important to take emails like this to heart If you have a small open source project, absolutely. In the case of Notepad++ I would say this would be a very fast path to burnout. I don't believe anyone has the mental power to deal with the ammount of assholes out there, you will just crash and burn.

fredsted 4y ago
Absolutely, ones mental wellbeing is the most important thing. But for this example, I would make a mental note that this could be an area to improve, not write a response like this–which isn't good for your mental health either. It's important to separate your work from yourself. The user was frustrated by the software, not by you.
- eCa 4y ago
  > The user was frustrated by the software, not by you. Well... > You have made what used to be a good editor into a massive pile of garbage. I’d say the person is frustrated by both.
  - fredsted 4y ago
    Sure, if you read it literally. On the other hand, they're probably angry and writing this sort of thing for venting their frustration.
    - hypfer 4y ago
      > they're probably angry and writing this sort of thing for venting their frustration. Yes but why should the maintainer be obligated to endure that? Just because it's a _human_ thing to do doesn't mean that it's a correct thing to do.
      - fredsted 4y ago
        They shouldn't, and I agree.

munificent 4y ago

> it's also important to take emails like this to heart. As someone who works in open source professionally, if I took every email and bug report I got like this to heart, I would have quit software years ago. (Some of my users apparently wish I would.) Sure, glean some actionable information from it if you want, but if you let every frustrated or angry bug report and email impinge on you emotionally, it will destroy your soul.