Missing Value of Open Source
13 Feb, 2008Posted By: Matt Heitzenroder
What is the point of Open Source if you don’t contribute?
I just read a post over at TechCrunch about Firefox 3 Beta 3. It wasn’t so much the post, but it was the comments that got me. For example:
Aaron Stannard
February 12th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
I’m about to drop FF like a bad habit and start using IE again.
Webside Ventures
February 12th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
I gave up on FF and switched back to IE7 a while ago. I still use FF when I need to use the plugins, such as Firebug.
Seriously though, this is so obnoxious to me. Firefox is a free browser that’s a project where people dedicate their time to making something freely available. If you don’t like something, get involved! If something doesn’t work the way you want it to, GET INVOLVED!
How many of you want to contribute to the SugarCRM code base? How many of you want to add new features? What are the barriers to entry for you? What would make it easier?
Tags: code, contibution, firefox, open source
February 17th, 2008 at 6:24 am
You certainly have a point. However, I think SugarCRM still doesn’t quite get it…It’s been said before over and over again:
- A public subversion repository
- A mailing list (the Developers forum just isn’t quite sufficient)
- A working bug system (I have submitted bugs that are still “Open” after more then a year)
- A team that actually responds to comments
I do think that quite a lot of open source minded folks don’t see Sugar as a ‘real’ open source project. And that’s why there’s so little input and you still have to code yourself.
PS: I see that your code contribution form was off line for 2-3 months before you noticed that it actually was. Nuff said I think..
February 27th, 2008 at 1:28 am
As always, we certainly appreciate constructive feedback and are continuously work on improving our communication.
Clint