> UI design is a profession totally separate from software development > ... trying to contribute design work is a miserable experience. This is the reason ind

> UI design is a profession totally separate from software development > ... trying to contribute design work is a miserable experience. This is the reason independent open source alternatives will remain alternatives and never become standards. These statements contradict each other and show how design is not separate from at least some aspects of software development (frontend application development). Most open source projects may leave the GUI as an afterthought or not even provide one. It makes all the sense in the world to separate the frontend from the backend especially if the goal is standardization. You might want to try your hand at frontend dev after working for so long on the backend. The discipline sorely needs people who understand both design and backend. You sound like you'd do very well.