> Too often they fall into the trap of creating more Linux distributions. We don’t need more Linux distributions. Stop making Linux distributions, make applications instead.
Right on the spot.
Make Apps for Linux
51–60 of 422 posts
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#52> Target All The Linux Distributions
If you are going through the trouble of targeting all Linux distributions, why not just target all platforms by using a framework like Flutter or React?
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#53The problem is OSS software not even trying to compete with the market. People using OSS software taking it for granted that the UX is going to be subpar, and it really is. Regular propriety software faces the risk of their users not paying, therefore adapting to make end user experience great. OSS usually doesn't have that risk. Open source needs to be exposed to risk from end users. I tried to change that with Note…
I think you're making the right decision. Open-source is extremely difficult to make even a living wage off of - the number of people who do is orders of magnitude smaller than those who make a living off of commercial software.
>Open-source is extremely difficult to make even a living wage off of…
So are you saying it’s even possible? I wish to learn at least one option to do it. Few is even better. How at all you can realistically make living this way?
Ok, not living , just partial income. Ok not partial. Some income?
I am not making fun of I honestly look some way .
I understand that if you maintain 10 years some essential part of essential software project then people eventually come to you for consulting or will pay you to shift this part toward their requirements.
But other then that? Like can you write useful free software program and really have some money from it ?
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#54I think the premise is wrong when there still doesn’t exist a core set of frameworks that are abi stable on Linux. On competing platforms there are way more frameworks out of the box (CoreImage, CoreAudio, CodeML, SceneKit, AppKit, etc) and they don’t break as often. I know in Linux they have fun things like snap and flatpak but it is really solving the problem using a bit of infrastructure and package management ins…
Stuff like Flatpak and Snap exists because the framework side kinda is built-out. Isolation technology had matured, newer desktops emphasized per-window security and needed APIs to portal in and out of each instance. The desktops needed a packaging/infrastructure solution to tie that together and make it presentable to the user.
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#55> Too often they fall into the trap of creating more Linux distributions. We don’t need more Linux distributions. Stop making Linux distributions, make applications instead. Right on the spot.
If you consider a container to be a limited distro, we turned one into the other
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#56The problem is OSS software not even trying to compete with the market. People using OSS software taking it for granted that the UX is going to be subpar, and it really is. Regular propriety software faces the risk of their users not paying, therefore adapting to make end user experience great. OSS usually doesn't have that risk. Open source needs to be exposed to risk from end users. I tried to change that with Note…
There is a large intersection of Linux users and people who cherish their freedoms. For many people, using non-open source note taking software is a non starter because of the vendor lock-in and privacy concerns. Thus, you'll probably lose out more by not open sourcing the program than by open sourcing it and risk having some people not pay. I wager a lot more people is willing to pay than use proprietary software. A…
There are some programs that sell binaries but also give away the code.
The premier pixel art editor Aseprite is free (source available, not open source) if you're willing to build it from source yourself, but most users buy the prebuilt binaries. I think this way you satisfy both the privacy conscious / cheapskates, and also the developer's economic needs. RMS doesn't approve I'm sure, but you can't please them all.
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#57[deleted]
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#58More software? Wonderful! I'm all for it, but before starting something from scratch why not contribute to something that already exists, or possibly pick some project that was abandoned or simply needs to be worked on for example to be built with newer compilers, run on newer hardware, etc. Which makes me wonder if there is somewhere a database of dormant/dead projects that would deserve to be resurrected.
Yes, I would echo this. In most categories there are loads of subpar efforts when putting all that effort behind the top few would yield a handful of excellent apps.
Collaboration can seem daunting and hard work, but it's work that will yield results which is time better spent than that devoted to projects that end up abandoned.
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#59> Too often they fall into the trap of creating more Linux distributions. We don’t need more Linux distributions. Stop making Linux distributions, make applications instead. Right on the spot.
If you consider a container to be a limited distro, we turned one into the other
I consider a container, shipping the developer's computer into production, or the revenge of microkernels, take your pick.
Re: Make Apps for Linux
#60> Target All The Linux Distributions
> Unlike other platforms, Linux is a very diverse target. There are hundreds of Linux distributions, some more popular than others. Once published though, applications can generally work everywhere.
> There are well documented software packaging and distribution systems which enable developers to get their applications into the hands of users.
> Each developer framework and Linux distribution will have their own recommended route to users. When you’re ready to share your creation, the development documentation will signpost their suggested packaging guides.
“Your apps will generally work everywhere” and “there are hundreds of distros and you have to do work to support each one individually” are essentially contradictory, no?