Linked by Jeremy LaCroix on Wed 13th Apr 2005 06:51 UTC
I've only been using GNU/Linux since 2001, so I won't say that I'm by any means an expert yet, as most of those that are reading this, probably have been using Linux much longer than I have. However, I still have high hopes for the Linux scene. The purpose of this article is to voice my personal opinion on what I feel is keeping GNU/Linux from taking over the mainstream operating system market. My intentions aren't to "badtalk" the open source kernel+apps, but rather give constructive criticsm on what I personally feel it could be done better.
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The idea of a portable universal packaging standard is wonderful (see autopackage.org). But who is going to do the work? What incentive does a developer have to drop what he is doing, forego his family and personal life and spend endless hours on something which will bring him no personal benefit?
I think that people are missing the point of open source. The goal is to contribute. It is not like commercial software at all. There is no help desk. There is no room full of eager engineers waiting for the phone to ring so that they can have the joy of serving your every need.
If what you want doesn't exist yet, or is not of the quality you desire, do it yourself. Don't use the lame excuse that you are too busy. People have already donated countless hours (millions of man-years?) to open source. Don't say that you can't contribute. Get a book, learn to code. Write a manual, author a helpset, set up a web site, help distribute. After all, developers are merely users, too, and are doing those things right now.
The spirit of open source is a selfish form of altruism. Make a program to help yourself or to indulge in a hobby. Then let others enjoy it also.