Re: Apologies to gnome-gui if I ever said you guys were flamers...

[John R Sheets <dusk smsi-roman com>]

Dan Effugas Kaminsky wrote:
> 
> Wow.
> 
> I'm just sorta in the jaw dropped,
> would-be-disillusioned-if-I-didn't-want-this-stuff-so-badly phase
> 
> Yeah, like the title says.  Wow.
> 
> To clarify, the *user* response to this stuff has been incredibly positive.
> The GNOME coder response has...not been.
> 
> On the up side, I know view any and all discussion this place has come up
> with as merely "spirited".

I have absolutely no idea what you mean.  Perhaps state it again
with more concreteness and less extended metaphor?  Or if it's
not important, then forget it, never mind.

As far as coder response vs. user response, that's one of the
hazards of open software.  If your ideas don't fit into the
consistent, deeper vision of the OS/software that a coder sees,
it doesn't matter what the user thinks.  The user is typically
much more naive than the coder (at least where the software is
concerned), and may not realize the true impact that so-and-so
gee-whiz great new feature may have on the cohesive whole.  No
matter how useful it may seem.

I'm not saying "learn how to code before proposing things".  That
would be silly.  A good idea is a good idea, no matter where it
comes from.  I do, however, think that you should pay a little
more attention to the concerns of the coding population, because
they are your only real path towards implementing your ideas.  If
you get a consistently luke-warm response from a large body of
experienced coders, then there is probably something wrong with
your idea (or your presentation of it).  Your primary concern
should be to find out _why_ coders don't like it.  If you can't
resolve those problems, then you should trash the idea and move
on.  If you _can_ solve all the little nigglies, to coders'
satisfaction, then your idea will probably get implemented. 
Simple as that.

Make sense?

John