Re: KDE 4 problems highlight shift from community users to consumers
Posted by: Anonymous
[ip: 213.203.159.55]
on July 17, 2008 04:01 PM
""The shift in the FOSS user base started happening years ago, and it is absolutely necessary that it continues, if FOSS is to survive." - Wrong."
Hmm, maybe you're right, sorry. I should have really written, instead:
The shift in the FOSS user base started happening years ago, and it is absolutely necessary that it continues, if FOSS is to remain relevant (in society as a whole, not just inside geek circles) and play any meaningful part in the building of a better world."
There is no way in hell that a tiny bunch of excellent people, only because THEIR own brains are centered around software, will be ever be able to make the other 95% of humankind use, love, look at or contribute in any way to software development in the same way.
So those excellent people can either retire in their crystal tower, because sure, they don't need
any user-only parasite/whiner to keep building their perfect toy. Or they could think a bit more about how to manage such a relationship, because without _political_ support from the masses, FOSS remains just a toy. Which would be really bad, because FOSS _is_ a necessary part of a better society. I could go on and on on this, but I've already written most of what I want to say in the Opinions section of Digifreedom.net. Direct feedback, preferably by email is always welcome.
Of course, all this is a much more general discourse than this particular KDE 4 PR / marketing failure, misunderstanding or whatever it is.
Best Regards,
Marco Fioretti
PS: incidentally, you may be interested to know that B. Byfield himself said that "Unquestionably, the FOSS community has failed to reach the general public, and too many of its members have grown complacent and smug through talking only to themselves. By encouraging a debate on these subjects, Fioretti is providing a long-needed corrective." (http://digifreedom.net/node/75)
Learn about Linux
Download Linux
Get Linux help
Re: KDE 4 problems highlight shift from community users to consumers
Posted by: Anonymous [ip: 213.203.159.55] on July 17, 2008 04:01 PMHmm, maybe you're right, sorry. I should have really written, instead:
The shift in the FOSS user base started happening years ago, and it is absolutely necessary that it continues, if FOSS is to remain relevant (in society as a whole, not just inside geek circles) and play any meaningful part in the building of a better world."
There is no way in hell that a tiny bunch of excellent people, only because THEIR own brains are centered around software, will be ever be able to make the other 95% of humankind use, love, look at or contribute in any way to software development in the same way.
So those excellent people can either retire in their crystal tower, because sure, they don't need
any user-only parasite/whiner to keep building their perfect toy. Or they could think a bit more about how to manage such a relationship, because without _political_ support from the masses, FOSS remains just a toy. Which would be really bad, because FOSS _is_ a necessary part of a better society. I could go on and on on this, but I've already written most of what I want to say in the Opinions section of Digifreedom.net. Direct feedback, preferably by email is always welcome.
Of course, all this is a much more general discourse than this particular KDE 4 PR / marketing failure, misunderstanding or whatever it is.
Best Regards,
Marco Fioretti
PS: incidentally, you may be interested to know that B. Byfield himself said that "Unquestionably, the FOSS community has failed to reach the general public, and too many of its members have grown complacent and smug through talking only to themselves. By encouraging a debate on these subjects, Fioretti is providing a long-needed corrective." (http://digifreedom.net/node/75)
#