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Preach! Open source maintainers don’t owe non-paying users a thing. Open source isn’t a cheat code for getting work done for free. It’s a means of sharing work

by jckahn 3y ago

Preach! Open source maintainers don’t owe non-paying users a thing. Open source isn’t a cheat code for getting work done for free. It’s a means of sharing work that was already done so that it doesn’t need to be done again by others.

bmitc 3y ago
I think this is the wrong attitude. Users of software and contributors (even potential ones) don't owe anything either. In fact, no one owes anyone anything when no paid contract is involved, so everyone should just relax and get out of that adversarial mindset. I've been a bit upset (more confused) myself as a user/contributor when I've spent hours or even days debugging something, clearly and politely communicating the issue or bug, and then it gets immediately closed with something like "we're just volunteers" as if I demanded something by merely pointing out an issue (that I offered to help with!). What does being unpaid volunteers have to do with any of that? It's just knowledge and information I have reported, but then I have to deal with a maintainer getting upset because I simply used their advertised library, one they advertised on their CV, in talks, in books, etc. I was wanting to start being a regular contributor, so what's the point of treating a potential contributor like that? I'm not totally sure I get it. They don't owe me anything, and I'm also fine with their library willowing away into obscurity and going off and doing my own thing.
dugite-code 3y ago
Sure... but asking if a project is being maintained like in the first screenshot in the OP isn't being entitled or rude or even asking for work for free. I looked at the thread that the second screenshot comes from and I would honestly say the OP didn't reacted well to someone asking if there was a recommended active fork and then someone else reacted even worse to the OP's comment. Honestly feel this reflects poorly on the OP more than anything else.

by jckahn 3y ago

bmitc 3y ago

I think this is the wrong attitude. Users of software and contributors (even potential ones) don't owe anything either. In fact, no one owes anyone anything when no paid contract is involved, so everyone should just relax and get out of that adversarial mindset. I've been a bit upset (more confused) myself as a user/contributor when I've spent hours or even days debugging something, clearly and politely communicating the issue or bug, and then it gets immediately closed with something like "we're just volunteers" as if I demanded something by merely pointing out an issue (that I offered to help with!). What does being unpaid volunteers have to do with any of that? It's just knowledge and information I have reported, but then I have to deal with a maintainer getting upset because I simply used their advertised library, one they advertised on their CV, in talks, in books, etc. I was wanting to start being a regular contributor, so what's the point of treating a potential contributor like that? I'm not totally sure I get it. They don't owe me anything, and I'm also fine with their library willowing away into obscurity and going off and doing my own thing.

dugite-code 3y ago

Sure... but asking if a project is being maintained like in the first screenshot in the OP isn't being entitled or rude or even asking for work for free. I looked at the thread that the second screenshot comes from and I would honestly say the OP didn't reacted well to someone asking if there was a recommended active fork and then someone else reacted even worse to the OP's comment. Honestly feel this reflects poorly on the OP more than anything else.