Re: Why is it _still_ so freaking hard to get info with images?

[Johannes Schindelin]

Hi,

On Mon, 16 Mar 2009, Han-Wen Nienhuys wrote:

> >> as always, patches will be thoughtfully considered.
> >
> > It appears a bit disingenuous to me to answer "I can't figure out what 
> > does what and why" with "congratulations, then it is your task to 
> > figure this out to a degree where you can not merely use it, but 
> > rather redesign and change it".
> >
> > I am aware that this is the most common form of brush-off employed in 
> > Open Source projects.  I am maintaining projects myself, and have 
> > limited amounts of time for the maintenance.  And that means that some 
> > things just don't get done.  But I try not blaming my users for that. 
> > And "patches will be thoughtfully considered" is pretty close to 
> > "first try doing all the work, and if you are lucky, we won't just 
> > chuck it into the bin without comment".
> >
> > It might just be a case of unfortunate phrasing, but I can't feel it 
> > to be the most effective way to stoke enthusiasm.

Given the subject, I could not help myself but be reminded of the 
expression "double standard" when I read this.

> This is not meant as an explicit putdown; it is simply the reality.  I 
> have no time to do any sort of coding, really, so if you want things to 
> happen, it is up to you.

Unfortunately, it is that way in Open Source.  But not only there... if 
you need a good quote by a famous author to say the same:

        So many people tut and say "Someone should do something", but so 
        few step forward and say "...and that someone is me"

        -- Terry Prattchet

Ciao,
Dscho