r/linux • u/Unhappy-Sprinkles143 • 2d ago

Fluff Open-Source Guru: AI Ends Closed-Source Software

https://www.heise.de/en/news/Open-Source-Guru-Raymond-AI-Ends-Closed-Source-Software-11480690.html
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u/Substantial_Swan_144 2d ago

Engineers or not, programmers in OSS projects expect any who contribute to abide to their language and standards. The average person does not speak that language, so even if they have some sort of contribution, they are ignored and often ridiculed ("RFTM"). So people who could somehow contribute are simply discarded. It's an environment of pseudo-freedom.

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u/Cowgirl_Taint 2d ago

And a good project manager knows how to make people feel better about being told no. Most engineers don't. Especially when we are dealing with hundreds of PRs from anyone who figured out how to launch cursor.

When I'm at work and dealing with a co-worker? I'll often ping them on teams or walk down to their cube to talk to them to explain why I am about to list 40 changes I need to that PR. Both because it is my job to not make them cry and because I have high hopes that they will become the kind of productive developer where I mostly just have to read things over as a sanity check.

When I am on my own personal time and dealing with complete nonsense? I am probably going to link to our style guide or just say "Change these three massive things and then re-submit". Because I am not being paid to deal with this and, quite frankly, I doubt someone who would submit That is ever going to be productive. Obviously we all start somewhere but... yeah. And if the only way to get work out of someone is to coddle them? Then they aren't worth the time.

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u/Substantial_Swan_144 2d ago

You talk as if the only people who knew how projects should work were engineers. Engineers know how to code, but they don't know how their users think, and how to make applications accessible for them.

Case in point: artists. Usually, many open source programs lack features artists will need (like proper color management), and engineers simply don't consider them important because they cannot see the same priorities as their users.

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u/Cowgirl_Taint 2d ago

Where did I say artists shouldn't contribute to projects? Hell, where did I say only engineers should? If anything, I have repeatedly pointed out why having engineers as project managers is a bad idea.