about Fundamental issues

[James Richard Tyrer]

Martin Ponce wrote:
> Hello, 
> 
>  My name is Martin Ponce, I am 40 years old. I am from Mexico.
>  My job is not about OS or Documentation, but Database's application
> programming. 
> 
>  I have used linux for 1+ year. or so. 
>  I left behind the BSOD thanks to linux. 
> 
>  // El tiempo siempre es escaso.  //
> 
>  By this time, i am working about dictionaries for use on translation
>  of files .po , and i find it a little hard work. 
> 
>   Just about : 
>    http://firstmonday.org/issues/issue9_4/levesque/index.html  
>  
>  I think it deserves some of reflexion from we all. 

Thank you for posting this.

I have read it and it makes some very good points.  Some things that were 
new to me but I have to say that much of this I was already aware of.

The most important points are:

1.	The lack of proper documentation.  The old documentation problem is
	common in the KDE project.

2.	It appears that it is not only "the belief that user interface
	design isn't real work", but rather the larger belief that all
	*design* isn't real work.  Or at least that it has no value till it
	is implemented.  It appears to me that this is not the actual
	belief of the OSS developers but rather it is used as a
	rationalization for the shortcomings of their methods.

What is needed in not a cathedral and not a bazaar but rather a system that 
produces good OSS.  Someone accused me of standing in the bazaar and 
complaining that it is not a cathedral.  Not at all, like the author of the 
piece, I am standing in the bazaar and telling the vendors that their wares 
need improvement -- better design *will* improve their wares.  Their wares 
need to be designed to meet the needs of their customers -- something any 
vendor should know.

--
JRT