“I'm basically giving myself a permanent vacation from being BDFL”

(mail.python.org)

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TheMagicHorsey ◴[12 Jul 18 20:54 UTC] No.17518505[source]▶

I don't know if it's just me, but if you read the forums and bug reports related to open source projects, it feels like programmers today are a really entitled lot.

The tone that people take when filing bug reports for what is basically free software is reprehensible. People are doing work for FREE to benefit you, and you take a tone with them like you are a prince and they are your royal goblet holders? Who taught these human beings their manners?

I totally understand the frustration when you write a large system in Python and then the Python committee makes a breaking change that makes your life very difficult. However, you didn't pay for Python! These sorts of changes should be expected, and if you didn't expect it, you are the fool. And in any case, you aren't paying these people a cent, so speak politely to them. You are basically a charity case from their perspective.

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1. kk__ ◴[12 Jul 18 21:15 UTC] No.17518672[source]▶

>>17518505 #

You are paying for python. You pay for any software product you use by not using an alternative.

OSS maintainers deserve respect but at a certain point they have turned their hobby in to their career, complete with clients and marketing. If you are willing to trust an open source project for your livelihood than the maintainer also has an obligation to respect that.

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2. n_o_u ◴[12 Jul 18 21:18 UTC] No.17518692[source]▶

>>17518672 (TP) #

Sorry, what exactly are you paying them?

3. noonespecial ◴[12 Jul 18 21:26 UTC] No.17518762[source]▶

>>17518672 (TP) #

You missed the part of "paying" where there is any benefit at all (or incentive) in the maintainer doing that work for you.

Worse, it's open source. You are always free to do it your damn self if it's so important to your livelihood.

Rule 1: Nobody owes you jack.

4. gregmac ◴[12 Jul 18 21:38 UTC] No.17518840[source]▶

>>17518672 (TP) #

> You pay for any software product you use by not using an alternative.

Sure, but in the same sense "you pay" for eating a day-old egg salad sandwich you found sitting on a park bench. (Luckily, even using badly-written open source software generally has a less unpleasant outcome.)

Like open source, the chef -- who you have no relationship, connection or contract with -- is not under any obligation to guarantee either your satisfaction or survival.

If you want to reduce the risk to your livelihood, you should pay money for both your critical open source software and your egg salad sandwiches.

5. ci5er ◴[12 Jul 18 22:32 UTC] No.17519175[source]▶

>>17518672 (TP) #

In a previous life I threw some tarballs w/ a buildable OpenGL clone and separately a buildable Renderman "clone" onto an FTP server and published the location.

Some people downloaded it, built it and used it. Even added to it, where they liked.

Most people were like you.

I never share code any more.

replies(1): >>17519258 #

6. justinator ◴[12 Jul 18 22:47 UTC] No.17519258[source]▶

>>17519175 #

Well, do you use open source code?

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7. ci5er ◴[12 Jul 18 22:51 UTC] No.17519281{3}[source]▶

>>17519258 #

I use gcc on Open Solaris, so, yes. I'm not an ass to the maintainers, God save their souls.

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