Re: Users versus developers (was: Tempo mark alignment)

[Anthony W. Youngman]

In message <address@hidden>, Ari Torhamo 
<address@hidden> writes
> > The first option is achieved by handling everything a non-programmer
> > can do: managing bugs, helping new users, writing the newsletter, etc.
> > The second option is achieved in two ways: helping expand our
> > community (and hoping this way more programmers will join on a
> > long-term perspective), or hiring someone (with decent money) to let
> > him learn the code and implement the feature/fix the bug you want.
>
> You don't quite seem to get Tim's point: everybody can't and doesn't
> need to participate every project they find useful - especially when
> they don't consume the resources of the project in question (more than
> marginally). Most people don't contribute equally to things in their
> life - people specialize, which is good, because they have different
> lives, situations, skills and talents. It's good to encourage people and
> make them aware of the ways to contribute - and then leave it to them.

Unfortunately, Tim's point is at odds with the philosophy of free 
software - which can be pretty succinctly stated as "he who writes the 
software makes the rules".

And while I think that Graham is often more "bad cop" than necessary 
(I've fallen foul of him too :-) he does have somewhat of a valid point 
- if you're not prepared to put in any work then why should other people 
put in work on your behalf?
> I think it would have been considerate of you to let it go after reading
> what Tim hinted about his life situation.

Mebbe. But there's a time and place for saying "tough mate, that's just 
how things ARE!". It's all very well saying "stop the world, I want to 
get off", but the world keeps going regardless, and if you're not 
prepared to do anything about it, then that's your lookout.

I'm not far short of 50, I've got a mortgage (and rather too much time 
on my hands at the moment - I got "credit crunched" a couple of months 
ago), etc etc. I want to contribute (okay, only my itches, but at least 
if I do it it'll help other people as well as me). "Ask not what 
lilypond can do for you, but what you can do for lilypond".

Cheers,
Wol
--
Anthony W. Youngman - address@hidden