News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Why isn’t someone using my software product or open source tool?. Parent comment

Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by DC-3 on Monday July 30, 2018 @10:31AM (#17644601)
This isn't true though.

Here's the description for, to take an example, Rust:

> Rust is a systems programming language that runs blazingly fast, prevents segfaults, and guarantees thread safety.

Succinct and understandable, and exactly what a developer chancing upon the project wants to see.

Were this to be made accessible to non-developers it would need to read something like this:

> Rust is a programming language for developing computer systems and applications that runs blazingly fast and prevents errors when programs try to access the wrong memory, or attempt to work with that memory in two different places at once.

It would be less readable and less appropriate for the primary audience of the product.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by emodendroket on Monday July 30, 2018 @10:33AM (#17644613)
Well, to use a hoary old saw, things should be explained as simply as possible, but no simpler.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by DC-3 on Monday July 30, 2018 @10:37AM (#17644644)
In broad terms, I'd agree with this adage - and to bring us back to my original point, I'd argue that 'as simply as possible' is in some circumstances not understandable to non-developers and that's ok.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by pdonis on Monday July 30, 2018 @10:52AM (#17644780)
> Were this to be made accessible to non-developers it would need to read something like this:

No, it could read:

"Rust is a systems programming language that runs blazingly fast and is more reliable and secure."

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by DC-3 on Monday July 30, 2018 @10:54AM (#17644797)
Which is an even worse description because 'reliable' and 'secure' are just adjectives that can mean almost anything you want them to mean and thus tell the intelligent reader almost nothing about the product at all.
[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by pdonis on Monday July 30, 2018 @11:03AM (#17644883)
> Which is an even worse description because 'reliable' and 'secure' are just adjectives that can mean almost anything you want them to mean

To a non-technical user, they basically mean "good", which is all the non-technical user really cares about. To a non-technical user, "prevents errors when programs try to access the wrong memory, or attempt to work with that memory in two different places at once" is just as much word salad as " prevents segfaults, and guarantees thread safety". They don't know what either one means or why it's a good thing.

And the first question the technical user is going to ask is "what makes it reliable and secure?"--which is what the technical description is for.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Why isn’t someone using my software product or open sourc... by vkou on Monday July 30, 2018 @12:11PM (#17645523)
To a non-technical expert:

> prevents errors when programs try to access the wrong memory

Reads as "Prevents errors when <wizardry>"

[ Parent | on HN ]