Glyph Lefkowitz: Who Is Open Source About?

The useful part

Open source is, at least in part, about you, where "you" refers to the user. Rich Hickey was wrong when he wrote "Open Source Is Not About You" and I'm tired of pretending otherwise. Of course he's not completely wrong, or his famous post would not have resonated quite so much in the first place.

How it works

• Obnoxious users who demand their personal use-cases be immediately addressed by volunteer maintainers for free should indeed be viewed as the pariahs that they are.
• There is not much use in me telling you that you are transcendentally evil for failing to follow some arbitrary recommendation that I have.
• When we talk about "obligations" and "rights", of "shoulds" and "musts", we are constructing an ethical system.
• The purpose of such a system is to develop social expectations and social consequences.

Details worth keeping

Open Source Is Not About "Open Source Is Not About You" In other words: The exchange of "open source" (or even "free software") is not as simple as "I have prepared some software for you, please enjoy it, you have no right to complain", and maintainers ought to have a precise understanding of the costs and benefits — as well as the ethical implications — of that exchange. I am implying that I believe there should be consequences for your...