4 ms·

The problem with open source

17 points by imwhimsical 14y ago

motters 14y ago
"Open source software is not made for average users. Everything from the interface to the installation procedures on most open source software is designed under the assumption that the end user is familiar with CMD/Terminal commands and bizarre user interface" False. This article seems to just be spreading FUD about open source.
- cpa 14y ago
  My personal anecdotical evidence suggests otherwise. I believe that in order to get the general audience interested in open source it will need a better branding and design. Note, that some organizations are taking steps towards this direction (Ubuntu and Mozilla come to my mind). Interestingly, I use a lot of open source projects that do not have gui nor complicated UI. I can't say the same thing about projects that do have a gui…
RyanZAG 14y ago
(This post was typed on Emacs, an open source text editor, and I’m already gathering awkward looks from the people. “A strangely dressed man typing away furiously into a black screen with green text. He’s got to be a hacker!”) More likely people are thinking "Why is he using Emacs when he could be using VIM!?". Or maybe they're asking why he's writing a blog entry on an OS like Emacs when it doesn't have a good text editor. Seriously though, most of the software I use is open source and is often more user friendly than commercial alternatives. So I disagree pretty strongly.
- imwhimsical 14y ago
  While I agree that some of them are user friendly. Think of the comparison between Microsoft Office and OpenOffice. I wanted to lay stress on the fact that mainstream developers/designers are simply not interested in Open source because it gives them nothing in return. The very few that are, only do it for the traction.
holman 14y ago
tl;dr: guy talks about circumventing software in order to "get the job done". He does this on a blog whose styles where lifted from my own, distinctly not open source blog. So yeah, I guess that's a thing.
- bencevans 14y ago
  saw that, was just about to give you heads up on twitter but glad you've seen it.
- jvc26 14y ago
  Heh, awkward. - Hadn't seen your site's ?recent? makeover, looks nice! Also, his page suggests he's a 'Developer at Github'?
  - imwhimsical 14y ago
    Yup. "Awkward" That's the word. :P
- imwhimsical 14y ago
  My apologies. I'm currently franticly typing HTML/CSS code for a redesign. This was for a temporary basis anyway, but I do apologize for not making that obvious.
repler 14y ago
open sores
aw3c2 14y ago
Seems like a flamebait post, skip it and you won't miss anything. I will join the others in pointing out some of its bullshit. I did not fully read it, this caught my eye: If you’re a part of the core “design” team of GIMP, the first thing you could do is getting rid of that logo. My point being, an Otocyon holding a paintbrush simply cannot go up against a seven-hundred-dollars-a-piece software. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP#Mascot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP#Mascot vs (I guess) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adobe_Photoshop_CS6_icon.svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adobe_Photoshop_CS6_icon.s... ? The PS logo looks like it was made by a undergrad amateur! </snark> Also I do not see GIMP in any need to "go up against" commercial competitors. It is a nice and complex program. I use it for years and I like it. Photoshop confuses me to no end and I am incapable of the smallest tasks without asking or reading guides. There are also great alternatives to GIMP which many people seem to ignore. It seems trendy to hit on GIMP without knowing better. I suggest checking out Krita, MyPaint, RawTherapee, Darktable, GIMP Paint Studio for alternatives depending on the use case.
- mitchi 14y ago
  Linux and Zed Shaw have the best rants. All the others are disappointing :P
- imwhimsical 14y ago
  Your comment about the comparison between the PS logo and the GIMP mascot logo, are, well...your opinion. The point I wanted to raise was that a corporation like Adobe obviously spends more time and money on user experience and design as a whole, than the GIMP team (for obvious reasons) Also, your comment about GIMP not having to go up against commercial competitors is, I'll use your vocab here, "bullshit" GIMP is the closest competitor to PS. In fact, the greatest threat to a $700 software would no doubt be something that's free and has all the features of the latter. Here in Dubai, Inkscape is popular amongst designers.
codepopacy 14y ago
I like how he's posting from next May according to the timestamp. And points to an explanation of the difference between open source and free software which is mostly wrong.
- imwhimsical 14y ago
  Made a typo while entering the file name in Jekyll. The explanation of the difference isn't mine, its from the link you'll see there.

17 points by imwhimsical 14y ago

"Open source software is not made for average users. Everything from the interface to the installation procedures on most open source software is designed under the assumption that the end user is familiar with CMD/Terminal commands and bizarre user interface" False. This article seems to just be spreading FUD about open source.

cpa 14y ago
My personal anecdotical evidence suggests otherwise. I believe that in order to get the general audience interested in open source it will need a better branding and design. Note, that some organizations are taking steps towards this direction (Ubuntu and Mozilla come to my mind). Interestingly, I use a lot of open source projects that do not have gui nor complicated UI. I can't say the same thing about projects that do have a gui…

RyanZAG 14y ago

(This post was typed on Emacs, an open source text editor, and I’m already gathering awkward looks from the people. “A strangely dressed man typing away furiously into a black screen with green text. He’s got to be a hacker!”) More likely people are thinking "Why is he using Emacs when he could be using VIM!?". Or maybe they're asking why he's writing a blog entry on an OS like Emacs when it doesn't have a good text editor. Seriously though, most of the software I use is open source and is often more user friendly than commercial alternatives. So I disagree pretty strongly.

imwhimsical 14y ago
While I agree that some of them are user friendly. Think of the comparison between Microsoft Office and OpenOffice. I wanted to lay stress on the fact that mainstream developers/designers are simply not interested in Open source because it gives them nothing in return. The very few that are, only do it for the traction.

holman 14y ago

tl;dr: guy talks about circumventing software in order to "get the job done". He does this on a blog whose styles where lifted from my own, distinctly not open source blog. So yeah, I guess that's a thing.

bencevans 14y ago
saw that, was just about to give you heads up on twitter but glad you've seen it.
jvc26 14y ago
Heh, awkward. - Hadn't seen your site's ?recent? makeover, looks nice! Also, his page suggests he's a 'Developer at Github'?
- imwhimsical 14y ago
  Yup. "Awkward" That's the word. :P
imwhimsical 14y ago
My apologies. I'm currently franticly typing HTML/CSS code for a redesign. This was for a temporary basis anyway, but I do apologize for not making that obvious.

repler 14y ago

open sores

aw3c2 14y ago

Seems like a flamebait post, skip it and you won't miss anything. I will join the others in pointing out some of its bullshit. I did not fully read it, this caught my eye: If you’re a part of the core “design” team of GIMP, the first thing you could do is getting rid of that logo. My point being, an Otocyon holding a paintbrush simply cannot go up against a seven-hundred-dollars-a-piece software. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP#Mascot http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GIMP#Mascot vs (I guess) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adobe_Photoshop_CS6_icon.svg http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Adobe_Photoshop_CS6_icon.s... ? The PS logo looks like it was made by a undergrad amateur! </snark> Also I do not see GIMP in any need to "go up against" commercial competitors. It is a nice and complex program. I use it for years and I like it. Photoshop confuses me to no end and I am incapable of the smallest tasks without asking or reading guides. There are also great alternatives to GIMP which many people seem to ignore. It seems trendy to hit on GIMP without knowing better. I suggest checking out Krita, MyPaint, RawTherapee, Darktable, GIMP Paint Studio for alternatives depending on the use case.

mitchi 14y ago
Linux and Zed Shaw have the best rants. All the others are disappointing :P
imwhimsical 14y ago
Your comment about the comparison between the PS logo and the GIMP mascot logo, are, well...your opinion. The point I wanted to raise was that a corporation like Adobe obviously spends more time and money on user experience and design as a whole, than the GIMP team (for obvious reasons) Also, your comment about GIMP not having to go up against commercial competitors is, I'll use your vocab here, "bullshit" GIMP is the closest competitor to PS. In fact, the greatest threat to a $700 software would no doubt be something that's free and has all the features of the latter. Here in Dubai, Inkscape is popular amongst designers.

codepopacy 14y ago

I like how he's posting from next May according to the timestamp. And points to an explanation of the difference between open source and free software which is mostly wrong.

imwhimsical 14y ago
Made a typo while entering the file name in Jekyll. The explanation of the difference isn't mine, its from the link you'll see there.