Re:Why I still don’t contribute to open source
by tehviking on Tuesday May 03, 2011 @11:39PM
(#2512693)
Yeah, I understand and empathize with your viewpoint. I wrote the article and felt like the detractor captured some of the weaknesses I possess that led to its writing.
Re:Why I still don’t contribute to open source
by eropple on Wednesday May 04, 2011 @01:02AM
(#2512851)
I'd call it less "weaknesses" and more "normalcy." It's extremely intimidating to deal with certain aspects of the open-source community. Not because you're dumb or stupid or lazy, but because they're kinda, y'know. Crazy.
(Note that in some cases it's a very beneficial form of crazy, and is not inherently bad, until it starts becoming an issue with other people.)
Contributing to open-source projects is, in my experience, often more trouble than it's worth--precisely because all too often the people already involved have forgotten (or never had the social capability to know and understand) that #1 is a falsehood and #2 is an eminently reasonable reaction for any remotely normal human being. I still contribute to some projects, but only projects that I or close personal friends maintain. It allows me to tell them to unscrew their heads when they act like the grandparent poster.