[libreoffice-users] Re: Engaging users: initial results of the survey

On 11/11/13 2:30 AM, Michael Seeks wrote:
> Hi Urmas,
>
>         So - I don't really understand your mail, which is a shame.
>
> On Mon, 2013-11-11 at 07:23 +0700, Urmas wrote:
> > The only way users can contribute is when they are paying.
>         Surely you're a user - and you contribute with bug filing, triage, and
> other QA things which are much appreciated.
>
> >   If a developer is paid for non-user-related applications, it will
> > have the ubiquitous opensource mentality: "I'm a GOD and you insolent
> > worm will crawl on all fours at my feet because it pleases me to do so".
>         As a developer, this is a mentality I often see from users in bugs ;-)
> the entitlement mentality - where users feel entitled to have exactly
> the fix they think is most important to them, prioritized immediately
> above all others, for free =) so it is not just developers that can have
> attitude problems I think.
After using LO for awhile, I found and filed a couple of bugs/issues.  I 
wanted to contribute in the area of reporting issues, but I don't have 
the knowledge to fix them.  I didn't expect those problems to go to the 
head of the line.  But I *did* expect them to be put in the queue and 
eventually fixed.
What I didn't like was being told my issues were not important.  BS! 
It's important to me.
Let's say you have a car, and every 4th time you go to use it, it won't 
start.  You take it to your mechanic, and each time you do, he tells you 
"it's not important, he's got bigger problems to solve".  Are you going 
to continue to take it to that mechanic, or are you going to find a 
different mechanic?
Regardless of product, if the vendor/supplier/developer tells you that 
your issue is not important, will you use that product in the future?
I used to recommend and install LO on computers, but no longer, since 
it's obvious my input and issues is not important.  I have a list of 
other issues I've found in LO, but I won't be making any effort to file 
bugs.  You will never have another chance to tell me my issues with 
things that do not work is unimportant.
I have to be able to look others in the eye and tell them problems get 
fixed.  I'm looking for alternatives now, and have found one that may do 
the job I need to get done.  When I find the right package, I won't need LO.
> >   Obviously the commercial products which have incident support with
> > developers and actually implement what users ask of them basing on
> > what is asked and not on what is trivial to implement, will live LO
> > in the gutter.
>         I don't really understand that one - but it is a true-ism that if you
> pay someone a salary you get to choose what they work on ;-) if you
> don't you can try a spoonful of honey or (perhaps your tactic) a gallon
> of gall to encourage them to work on something but not much more.
I think it boils down to at least two things:

	1.  Do you want your product to be successful, free or not?  Do you 
want additional
                users, or just happy with what you have?
        2.  How much pride do you have in your work?  Do you want your work to be
                the best it can be?  Or are you happy with it just being "good enough"?

RE: #1...  If TDF wants to be a serious alternative to other office 
suites out there, primarily MSO, TDF needs to operate at the same level 
of product development, customer support, and provide a better product 
than the one you wish to replace.  Free or not.
RE: #2...  One of the mores of society today is to do just good enough 
to get by.  That's fine if you are doing something for yourself.  But 
just being "good enough" will not get you a sterling reputation, it will 
get you an OK reputation.  You have to ask yourself, what do you want 
your reputation to be?
>         Luckily, since this is Free Software there is no significant barrier
> (beyond ignorance - which is fixable with time and patience) to
> contributing your own fix to the code if you want.
Doing the best you can is where Free Software could really excel.  You 
have no boss telling you "That's good enough" or "We aren't going to fix 
that".
Of the free packages I've tried, many seem to be of the "good enough" 
attitude.  And I often wonder if some of that attitude is because they 
aren't trying to make a living with it.

>         All the best,
>
>                 Michael.

--
Ken

Mac OS X 10.8.5
Firefox 24.0
Thunderbird 17.0.8
LibreOffice 4.1.2.3


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