Hacker News Reader

Comment by ironmagma | Hacker News Reader

There is a massive problem in open source where some people equate pointing out a problem with being too lazy to solve it — when in reality this just stifles the conversation. Especially when a prerequisite to any group project accomplishing anything is to first discuss the problem to be solved.

View on HN

No that's actually a completely different issue. You're talking about volunteers working on side projects that are sometimes foundational to the way the internet works and then people feel entitled to tell them what to do without contributing.

Here we are talking about one of the worlds most valuable companies that gets all sorts of perks, benefits and preferential treatment from various entities and governments on the globe and somehow we have to be grateful when they deliver garbage while milking the business they bought.

No, that's actually the same issue. "Entitled to tell them what to do without contributing" is not a problem. Let them tell whoever what to do, the response is always the same: "patches welcome," or if that isn't even true (which it doesn't have to be), "feel free to fork."

OTOH if you didn't pay for support you shouldn't expect support. 'patches welcome' is a very valid response.

Is not the whole FOSS movement about receiving something you did not pay for? Going as far as to say that’s even what users deserve?

don't confuse 'receiving something you did not pay for' with 'being allowed to feel entitled to anything' is all. 'open source' is just that, nothing more. if you want a service with your source, be prepared to sponsor it.

I still think people should want things and be vocal about what they want. This is the natural way for people to know what needs to be built. It is different from demanding something.

And besides that, a lot of people on here do pay for Github in the first place.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com