issues need reason

[David Woolley]

Brian Morrison wrote:

> 
> Pidgin is an open source multi-protocol IM client provided for you by
> people that write it for their own purposes that may align with yours.
> It can be used by anyone, it is free software. It isn't a product where
> you may demand fixes, you may ask politely.
> 

I see this demand to "fix it" a lot these days.  I'd like to know where 
it comes from.  It is almost as though there is some software support 
assertiveness course going around that totally fails to educate people 
on realistic expectations and how to make support people want to help you.

In fact, in most cases it is inappropriate for support of commercial 
products as well.  Fixing commercial software tends to be based on a 
cost benefit analysis for the vendor, not the demands of the user.

In any case, as Brian didn't copy his reply to the OP, I doubt that it 
reached them.

(The subject hints at another current fad, which is "root causes". 
There is some sense in that, and I'm certain that one is being actively 
promoted, but generally an open source developer will want to find the 
root cause themselves, so it really doesn't contribute to the dialogue.)


-- 
David Woolley
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