On 08/02/2011 08:15 PM, James McKenzie wrote: > On 8/1/11 11:46 PM, Ian Malone wrote: >[...] >> Constructive criticism and suggestions are far more useful than just >> enumerating grievances. > Amen said the choir. Bellyaching about something you cannot change is > not going to change it and might just dig the heels in of the developers > more. I've been of that ilk for YEARS. If you have something to say, > say it, but coat it with HONEY. Remember, the song in Mary Poppins "A > Spoon Full of Sugar Make the Medicine Go Down"? That is what we should > be doing. [...] I certainly agree "Constructive criticism and suggestions are far more useful than just enumerating grievances" but don't think that means the latter are useless. As to the honey part, I disagree. Developers and users constitute a partnership and I don't think it is good to set the smaller number of developers on a pedestal, approachable only with circumspection and deference reminiscent of a French commoner approaching the court of Louis XVI. Both partners get pluses and minuses from the partnership. Developers get bug reporting, bug fixes, and the ego strokes from being developer of a widely used piece of software. They may also get financial rewards in the form of consulting or book contracts, or job offers. Users of course get to use useful software for free. If a developer needs deference as well, then they should distribute their software under license terms that require that. Or restrict its distribution to people they know will not be critical. But if they want the benefits of widespread use, I think they need to understand that those benefits are going to come with some criticism as well as admiration and gratitude. None of this should be taken as encouraging the dissing of developers or their work (and certainly not blatantly insulting or personal attacks), but rather discouraging the 10 times as many "don't say that" responses that each of the former seem to generate. -- users mailing list users@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx To unsubscribe or change subscription options: https://admin.fedoraproject.org/mailman/listinfo/users Guidelines: http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Mailing_list_guidelines
