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I have found that most people don't even realize they're being dicks when submitting bug reports or feature suggestions for OSS. I recent wrote an article about

I have found that most people don't even realize they're being dicks when submitting bug reports or feature suggestions for OSS. I recent wrote an article about this phenomenon and what to do about it. [1] For example, it can be demeaning to OSS developers who have spent much of their time (often unpaid) to build this software for you to use, when you open your bug report with the attitude that it must be broken simply because it doesn't do what you want it to do. I prefer to start every conversation (bug report, etc), not with the purpose of fixing something that's broken, but to expand the both project's applicability and the community's understanding of the project. For example, consider This software is broken on IE. vs Can we make this software work in IE? You're not starting a conversation because the software is broken in IE, you're starting it because it's an opportunity to make it applicable to the IE use-case. This is also why I encourage everyone who's having trouble with any of my projects to open an issue ticket. I often get emails or tweets from people asking for help with some problem, and the first thing I tell them is, open a ticket. Their aversion to opening a ticket is because they're not sure if it's an issue with the software, or if they're just doing it wrong. But I say it's ticket-worthy either way, because a ticket isn't made to fix broken software, it's made to increase the project's applicability and the community's understanding of the software. If you're having the problem, chances are someone else is or will have that same problem, and now they can find the solution.

JangoSteve 15y ago
EDIT: Oops, forgot the footnote. [1] http://www.alfajango.com/blog/communicating-with-engineers-and-contributing-to-open-source/ http://www.alfajango.com/blog/communicating-with-engineers-a...
tedunangst 15y ago
the attitude that it must be broken simply because it doesn't do what you want it to do For better or worse, I get snippy when something doesn't work that I was told would work. Like when the included examples don't work or the documentation is wrong. Then I'm not angry because I didn't get the free pony I wanted, I'm angry because you lied to me.
- ChuckMcM 15y ago
  I too get snippy when basic functionality doesn't work and the all of the latest commits in the stream do things like add colors or use VT100 line drawing characters to put boxes around something on a serial terminal. That being said I understand how difficult it can be to contribute positively to some OSS projects. Tired and perhaps jaded core team members responding "Hey if you don't like it just create your own <xyz tool>." don't help. The Selenium guys are a great example of an OSS project that is both open to outside input (even from relative noobs) and focussed on the right priorities (correctness over speed for example).
- JangoSteve 15y ago
  I understand it can be frustrating, but saying that the OSS developer "lied" to you is exactly the wrong kind of attitude I'm talking about. Underlying libraries break, people have weirdly configured environments, browsers ship with new unexpected updates. There are a million legitimate reasons that things don't work at any given moment (yes, even the examples in documentation). Furthermore, the documentation often takes as much time and effort as the code itself, so it's entirely possible that the developer just hasn't had a chance to update the docs yet. At the time you encounter your problem, you have no way of knowing why it's not behaving as you'd expect, or what led to such a circumstance. Having an attitude when submitting a ticket (as if the developer lied to you) is entirely counter-productive to finding a solution, even if you're right.

JangoSteve 15y ago

EDIT: Oops, forgot the footnote. [1] http://www.alfajango.com/blog/communicating-with-engineers-and-contributing-to-open-source/ http://www.alfajango.com/blog/communicating-with-engineers-a...

tedunangst 15y ago

the attitude that it must be broken simply because it doesn't do what you want it to do For better or worse, I get snippy when something doesn't work that I was told would work. Like when the included examples don't work or the documentation is wrong. Then I'm not angry because I didn't get the free pony I wanted, I'm angry because you lied to me.

ChuckMcM 15y ago
I too get snippy when basic functionality doesn't work and the all of the latest commits in the stream do things like add colors or use VT100 line drawing characters to put boxes around something on a serial terminal. That being said I understand how difficult it can be to contribute positively to some OSS projects. Tired and perhaps jaded core team members responding "Hey if you don't like it just create your own <xyz tool>." don't help. The Selenium guys are a great example of an OSS project that is both open to outside input (even from relative noobs) and focussed on the right priorities (correctness over speed for example).
JangoSteve 15y ago
I understand it can be frustrating, but saying that the OSS developer "lied" to you is exactly the wrong kind of attitude I'm talking about. Underlying libraries break, people have weirdly configured environments, browsers ship with new unexpected updates. There are a million legitimate reasons that things don't work at any given moment (yes, even the examples in documentation). Furthermore, the documentation often takes as much time and effort as the code itself, so it's entirely possible that the developer just hasn't had a chance to update the docs yet. At the time you encounter your problem, you have no way of knowing why it's not behaving as you'd expect, or what led to such a circumstance. Having an attitude when submitting a ticket (as if the developer lied to you) is entirely counter-productive to finding a solution, even if you're right.