3 ms·
It doesn't hold the platform back because if the hobbyist didn't scratch his own itch he was never going to spend 1000x as much development effort creating a Ph
by michaelmrose 3y ago
It doesn't hold the platform back because if the hobbyist didn't scratch his own itch he was never going to spend 1000x as much development effort creating a Photoshop competitor or even yet join the effort to triage gnome bugs. We would almost certainly just be less their contribution for no benefit. This whole faulty analysis relies on treating open source developers as a fungible resource like employees of a firm that ought to be tasked with something different. It's not so.
- zlg_codes 3y agoAgreed. If I couldn't write my own packages for my OS and scratch my own itch, I'd never bother contributing to the big stuff. The appeal behind libre software is the power to go your own way. If the only way to access it was to interact with groups and get your things added through a political process, I'd have found some other thing. Too much of our world is wrapped up in processes and busywork and other empty interaction, it's a waste of time. Give me the code, the license, a text editor, and a nice cup of coffee, and I'm good. Hold the interpersonal drama. :P