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And if 2. is "no" then let them know why not, but there is no need to "debate" it further either. Sometimes it's very important NOT to add features to a projec
by the_gipsy 4y ago
And if 2. is "no" then let them know why not, but there is no need to "debate" it further either.
Sometimes it's very important NOT to add features to a project. In fact I would argue that this is one of the strengths of OSS projects compared to "enterprise software".
- zimbatm 4y agoExactly. Each software has a shape that makes sense, in the eye of the creator. That shape might change but it has to stay internally consistent somehow. Unlike companies, we don't have to eternally grow the software to satisfy every customer and stay releavant. Projects come and go and this is a good thing.
- the_gipsy 4y agoSometimes projects "go" earlier precisely because they keep adding shit. Others are eternal because they keep a very narrow scope with high quality.
- Freak_NL 4y agoAlong with the 'no' it may help to point out that they are free to fork the project and add the feature to their own fork, or hire someone to build it for them. That won't stop the most extreme class of complainers, but it'll shave of another few.
- tut-urut-utut 4y agoWhy pointing out something that is a distinguishing feature of open source? I don’t need your permission to fork off the license allow me to, but telling me that I’d like putting a comment like „btw, did you know that 2+2=4“.
- Brian_K_White 4y agoThis whole question in the first place is about people that showed that they don't know such things and so need to be told such things, by the nature of their demands.
- atoav 4y ago> Why pointing out something that is a distinguishing feature of open source? Because users exist who are: - clever enough to use github and open an issue - not clever enough to know this is a possibility - care about their problem enough to complain, but not enough to do something about it By basically telling users "if you really care, you could do $labori tensivething" often they realize that they do in fact not care enough. And if they do, you could still use the fruit of their labour if it really turns out good.
- Freak_NL 4y ago> By basically telling users "if you really care, you could do $laborintensivething" often they realize that they do in fact not care enough. That's the trick. Instead of offering no way to get the feature they want (which means they'll try to convince you to do it anyway), you show that they can in fact get that feature — for a price probably beyond their reach, but that's not something you can remedy, so hopefully they'll leave it at “I can't do/afford that”.
- skinnymuch 4y agoYou are a more advanced user. It’s obvious a lot of the users like the one in the OPs example are not. They don’t know the nuances of how things work. They may think things like people are being properly compensated in some way for open source code projects. They may not know about forking or it’s possible to hire someone to add the feature you need. Bounties etc.
- toast0 4y agoSometimes people get upset about their project being forked. Explicitly offering it as an option assuages any concerns the requester may have about that.
- anigbrowl 4y agoBecause not everyone gets it.
- deleted 4y ago[deleted]