From: Paul Irofti <bulibuta@...>
Date: 2006-10-25T22:50:24+09:00
Subject: Re: How can my boss take rails seriously with bugs like this?

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On 10/25/06, David Vallner <david@vallner.net> wrote:
>
> Paul Irofti wrote:
> > If something is broken fix it! It's an OpenSource project built upon an
> > OpenSource programming language...
> >
>
> Rails is from the user's POV a tool. If a screwdriver has a loose
> handle, buying a different brand is as valid an approach as trying to
> stabilise it...
>
> Users do have the right to object against the low quality of something
> even if it's free. (Granted, in a less whiny tone, and using official
> ways like the bug tracker for specific bugs.) Just because the barrier
> to contribution is lowered from one side, it doesn't mean it
> automagically as lowered from the other - even people unskilled in
> developing web frameworks or that just don't have time to spare to
> develop it should receive a product that, well, works.
>
> The "fix it yourself" attitude I perceive as actively harmful to
> open-source software as a whole - it creates an image of getting away
> with half-done jobs, lack of concern for the end user, and general
> tending to mediocrity. I personally much prefer working with
> high-quality tools (open-source or otherwise, I've seen neither model
> prove as a magic bullet - big surprise there), more so since
> specifically Rails is far from a free lunch, considering it -started
> out- as parts of commercial 37signals services before going open-source
> (no idea how much of the development is done by paid employees of that
> company anymore). The latter is actually a comforting fact, since they
> do indeed eat their own dogfood and are interested in keeping Rails
> maintained for other purposes than open-source karma points.
>
> David Vallner
>
>
>
>
I agree with most of the things you said, but do note that after that quote
(from my initial mail) I did mentioned posting the bug on a tracker.. I
think it was the next paragraph.

Anyways I didn't mind that he asked for help or reported a bug, or even that
he was angry about a certain loss of data. That's all normal. But the tone
and, for God's sake, look at the thread's subject...

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