Re: Icon designer wanted (Aquamacs Emacs)

[Tim McNamara <timmcn@bitstream.net>]

David Kastrup <dak@gnu.org> writes:

> Tim McNamara <timmcn@bitstream.net> writes:
>
>> If proponents of free software ever expect to have their products
>> in the mainstream and not just the province of geeks, then they had
>> better
>
> Why should I be bothered about the mainstream?  Why should I applaud
> moves that focus improving software only on non-free systems?  There
> is absolutely nothing for me in that.

IMHO that is a narrow and self-centered viewpoint.  Fortunately there
are other viewpoints that include thinking more broadly about trying
to increase freedom rather than burying one's head in the sand and
capitulating.  I'd be very disappointed if that was the official
attitude of the GNU project!

> I have nothing to gain from my software being useful only to
> mainstream users of proprietary systems, and so I certainly not at
> all "had better" do anything in order to have people working on
> stuff that is of no benefit for me.

Increasing freedom in software is not of use to you?  You astonish
me.  Really.  What a myopic view from someone I would have expected
to think more broadly.

Think of it as developing a feeder network.  If Mac users or Windows
users find good useful free software, that may well lead them further
into the free software movement.  They may begin to question the
stranglehold that non-free software can create, and come to understand
that there are alternatives.  

If on the other hand that software is arcane and Byzantine and
difficult to use, then they will be discouraged and will go on buying
propreatary systems.  And the hardware makers will have no incentive
to make it easier to write free software for their platform, which in
turn increases the difficulty and cost of reverse-engineering for the
hardware.

But with good free alternatives, we might see companies such as Dell
offering more computers with those free alternatives.  But for that to
happen, a market has to be created that's based on more than hype and
Slashdot.  The free products themselves have to be good to use-
stable, fast, powerful with a useable interface.

Because everything in the world is connected to and affects everything
else, increasing freedom for others increases freedom for ourselves.
In your posts you seem to have lost that basic awareness of "what goes
around, comes around."  I'm sorry to see that, because that attitude
could ultimately lead to the failure of the free software movement.

>> learn the value of good customer service, and of good interface
>> design and human useability.
>
> If you want to place demands on software developers, you better
> offer some recompensation.  Other than that, you get what they are
> in the mood to deliver.

In that case, the free software movement will remain marginalized and
will have little or no influence in the tide of affairs.  If it's
worth writing code for, it's worth writing good code and attending to
the user experience.

I use a Mac.  I'm not apologizing for it nor am I going to let someone
make me feel like I'm doing something wrong.  I've yet to find a
GNU/Linux or BSD system that is as good to use as OS X.  I make a
point of using free software published under the GPL as much as I can,
because the freedom afforded thus is important.  I've financially
supported GNU, since I do not have the skills to offer support in
terms of software development.  There are a lot of people like me, and
you want to keep us interested in free-as-in-speech software.
Otherwise it's just a circle jerk.

>> And we might as well treat each other with civility rather than
>> disdain as a good way to develop that attitude.
>
> Feel free to do so.

Good point.  I hope that I have.  Civility doesn't mean agreement.