this post was submitted on 12 May 2025
53 points (69.6% liked)
Linux
55051 readers
922 users here now
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
Rules
- Posts must be relevant to operating systems running the Linux kernel. GNU/Linux or otherwise.
- No misinformation
- No NSFW content
- No hate speech, bigotry, etc
Related Communities
Community icon by Alpár-Etele Méder, licensed under CC BY 3.0
founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
view the rest of the comments
Oh look. Yet another post demanding things from a volunteer-based community without actually volunteering their own time to work on solving the problem they're insisting needs solving.
I'm sure these demands will totally make a difference in ways that putting their time into actually writing code wouldn't.
Correct. There are actual efforts going on to resolve those issues. Which begs the question, why post vague exhortations for people to "do something" about this, rather than focusing the efforts in places where it will make a difference?
This isn't a post saying "hey, come to this project and pitch in." This post is just bitching into the ether and then some folks getting butthurt when the pointless performative nonsense is called out for what it is.
Posts like this one happen on a near-daily basis all across FOSS mailing lists. It's trivial to find numerous, often young, often inexperienced people who think their idea is the one that "fixes everything". These people reason that everyone should fall over one another to put effort into their magical idea once they see the obviousness and correctness of the idea. Clearly, it's simply incorrect to find fault in an obviously perfect idea such as this one.
It's just so weird that literally none of the people with these amazing ideas are the ones doing a "git init" and getting started on the work of actually implementing their amazing ideas. Bizarre how so many spectacular, world-changing ideas need to be worked on by literally anyone BUT their champion. What a horrible world we must live in filled with nasty, evil people who simply won't volunteer their personal time when we should feel so blessed with this holy relic of an idea.
This narrative is so childish that the only response it deserves is the one echoed by nearly the entire FOSS community, "Patches welcome!"
And that attitude is why adoption will remain low
There goes the Q4 profit goals of the FOSS community.
ROFL. Kiddo, I've been contributing to OSS for over two decades. The day I start caring about what non-contributors think is the day I stop writing code. Either show up with patches or STFU.
Okie dokie boomer
You're both being silly. Ones a gatekeeper, ones a name caller
Want to know what's wrong with Linux? The community.
We really gonna pretend the name caller is as bad as the guy with the opinion that "critics are useless and should just learn how to do the thing the critique"? Cuz that's a classic shitty opinion
Not pretending anything. Saying they're both acting silly. Eos.
Have a nice day
Yeah, you don't pay for software, you pay for support that won't insult you. Seeking support for FOSS stuff is like running a gauntlet of people who insist you're too stupid to use it.
If we want normies to use FOSS, the community needs to stop saying normies don't deserve FOSS.
Definitely silly but im tired of trying to explain something especially when they act like that and I know they arent going to listen. They can simply get name called. People dont like that but its simply not my obligation.
Nobody is gatekeeping. One of us is asserting that there's no such thing as a free lunch.
The features being requested do not come for free. Someone has to sink the time into doing the work.
So, in an argument between people doing the work and people insisting someone else do the work for them, but it must be to the specifications of the armchair quarterbacks... well... I've got bad news about the things the non-paying non-coders want.
You can either pay money or pay time, but nobody cares about the freeloaders demanding things without offering any kind of compensation.
Sounds like you dont actually want to work on FOSS software
" the day I start caring about what non-contributers think .."
Be sure not to wear your actual gate keeping opinion on Your sleeve if you want to deny them .
It's always interesting to see how people react to being told to put in their own effort instead of demanding the effort of others.
You have access to the code bases. You have access to the contributing rules. You can submit your patches to the same repos everyone else puts their code in. What exactly is being denied to you?
Honestly kid. I'm done with this. You know the answer to that. I'm done with this. You're all just too exhausting.
And again that is a Linux issue. Because no one wants to be thought of as insufferable as it appears Linux contributes are.
If one doesn't want valid critique, one should take their software private and leave everyone alone.
Otherwise anyone can make all the critiques they want. Don't like it? Don't do things in public. Make the software privately and alone
Thanks for admitting that you don't actually care about the software. This was never about the software. This was only about your desire to control the actions of other people. Your previous comment already showed that when you chose to highlight my lack of interest in your opinion and not anything that actually matters.
You might want to consider spending less time on social media.
And now you're lying. Man. You really are going to tell me that's what I said?
You're being silly .. that's what I'm Saying. You can have an opinion all you want, you can stand by it, and you can defend it, but none of that makes you any less incorrect or insufferable. .good day.
Feel free to go back and read the thread for yourself. It's all right there.
Funny how you call me a gatekeeper, but can't explain what I've prevented you from doing. You claim that outside critique is Super Important, but then can't figure out why anyone should care about your critiques. And now you claim I'm lying about something that the text is all right there to read, and somehow I'm incorrect because reasons that you can't articulate.
Are you sure you're okay?
By that logic I should demand to get payed for testing your "free" software in real environment
Not testing, using.
If I report bug it's testing
That would mean the vast majority of software can always be considered in testing. I report bugs for games I play, heck many sub-communities function around them. I report bugs for the professional software I use, and even for Windows, my OS, and Android, things I had to pay for. So all software is just tested and never used under that definition.
Don't sit there being obtuse. One of the benefits of foss is that actual users help test the software and bring feedback to make it better
You just want to be thought of as special
Developers of software are a dime a dozen and becoming an outdated profession. Keep the smugness out of this otherwise. Good day
I don't know what you mean that I want to be thought of as special, I'm in IT, not software development, and I don't contribute to code so these "special" people wouldn't include me.
Edit: Also, most paid products do the same thing so you should be paid for those as well. You get function from FOSS software and thus it is a used product. If it isn't functioning you swap to a better one, maybe a paid one, or circumvent the functionality. The thing is with FOSS the feedback is part can be code suggestions. I personally don't do it as all the FOSS software I use I tend to be happy enough with it. However, if something is truly that mission critical for you to use the software, you can contribute. I have friends who have done so. Also just about every software I use takes feedback and suggestions. What makes FOSS special is the ability to contribute when the suggestions you want to see are not the priority. I have had an MS Teams bug I've been dealing with for several users for going on a year now and MS has told me to kick rocks, I don't have much more to do from there. For FOSS, I could try to directly implement the solution, or fork the project to meet my needs. There are dozens of projects that have come into existence because of this principle and it is one of the core parts of FOSS software. I wasn't being smug, I was being very genuine in that you are a user benefiting from the software. Obviously, if someone wants their FOSS software as widely adopted as possible they will cater to their users. Many FOSS products don't operate on that principle though, particularly smaller ones that are for needs the developer had and everything else is secondary. In those cases, often someone else will come along and fork it and create their own version. It's one of the benefits of FOSS. Again, the reason I said you were a user is because if you were a tester the primary reason you would be testing is for payment or compensation. If the primary goal is to utilize the function of what it gives you even if it has problems or UI/UX issues you are a user. If you want to be a tester, I have seen some FOSS products search for them in the past so you likely could try to make a buck in your free time for them.