Live data from Hacker News

Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

fefe.de

31–40 of 44 posts

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#31
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I thought that is just the dismissive term for people that are believed to be destructivly committed to a specific idea. You are right in implying that it is rude. What would be the socially acceptable term for this phenomenon?

In your mind, are there bad visions and good visions? And you, of course, can tell the difference. You can of course see the destructive ones for what they are! And these bad ideas must be fought and purged before they cause damage. Is that it? BTW, the author never expressed the wish to force anyone. It was a request. It's not just the rude term that irks me here. I'm often getting a very fanatic vibe from people wh…

I wrote that there are good and bad visions and that assessment over a visions affiliation differs, yes. And I am pretty sure I can tell the difference.

Finding a position on a vision is something probably everyone can do. Bonus: In certain cases, if it is percieved to be relevant enough, it enables democratic societies to exercise what could be described as a public discourse.

But if it helps you I could claim the fighting/purging thing you tried to put into my mouth. ;)

His reason to not forbid it is because the GPL doesn't allow it. At least that's what I got from his second sentence.

I'm with you on the fanatic vibe people get in discussions on this issue. I think it's a weird effect of something which fundamentally seems to be a good signal: That people really care about the issue. That's ok for me. ..or at least a good start for a better exchange.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#32
EDIT: Just saw this is from 2001, so may be a tad bit justified in the MS context. I still stand by the "goes against the community spirit" thing though.

Doesn't this sort of closed-mindedness fly in the face of the spirit of FOSS and community? Plus, today's MS is not the evil empire of yesterday. I'd rather be in bed with them than, say, Oracle. Long time Java hating .NET guy here- so I am probably biased though.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#33
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't care if you support a particular vision. Calling people bigots, however, is a different thing.

I thought that is just the dismissive term for people that are believed to be destructivly committed to a specific idea. You are right in implying that it is rude. What would be the socially acceptable term for this phenomenon?

It is, not sure why some are getting their panties in a bunch over the term here.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#34
post #4

Don't worry, nobody will. If you hate people who use windows, then don't be surprised if they do same to you.

Looking at the list of code that this person created, I don't think it's wanted on Windows anyway. It's just a bunch of low-level utils that are already built-in to Windows or have better third-party alternatives.

If this guy had built something good like VLC media player - nobody would have listened to him and it would have been forked, ported and his version would have been forgotten by now.

(Oh and I bet more than half of his crummy apps will easily run on Apple's OS and Apple is arguably worse than Microsoft had ever been.)

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I beg to differ. Especially if anyone's public actions or expressions are of bad taste, it ought to be a matter of discussion. Matters of preference (another meaning of "taste"), however, are hard to argue about.

> I beg to differ. Especially if anyone's public actions or expressions are of bad taste, it ought to be a matter of discussion. I agree. that is why we are discussing why calling people who use windows ignorant supporters of evil is a form of bigotry.

> calling people who use windows ignorant supporters of evil Huh? Where does it say that in the post? I'm getting the feeling that someone insulted your favorite OS and now you think they are fanatic bigots. The text over 15 years old. Maybe you just don't remember the Windows and Microsoft from back then.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#36
This article seems polite enough. The author gives some rational reasons, and at least marks the opinion parts with "I feel" type qualifications.

Why is everyone just picking apart the logic behind this? It makes me (a Linux user) think that Windows-ecosystem people feel entitled to a port of all software, "because Windows".

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#37
post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Hardly. This attitude is very rare among FOSS devs, the more common one being "I don't care if it works on Windows or not, as I don't use it; if you are willing to make it work on Windows with in way that does not make codebase suck too much for the rest of the world, go ahead, I accept patches".

You are right - this is just one of many difficulties...

Well, I consider it perfectly fine and in line of what one can expect from FOSS. I develop what I want to develop, and you develop what you want. If we can collaborate, great, if not, we create separate projects.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#38
Well this is stupid, People need their freedom limited to make the software easier to use to some extent. So it's stupid argument he makes for his bias against windows. You like linux ? Fine, use it as you will. But don't prevent from others use whatever they feel comfortable to use. And nobody will listen to him. Unless he made his own specific Licence. Which could be problematic. But this kind of extreme behavior won't help people try to use Linux.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#39
post #17
post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, the author doesn't try to limit anyone's freedom, he only asks people to understand him and to work against proprietary platforms, not prohibits them to do anything.

He doesn't prohibit them because he can't. He directly says as much in the second line of his piece. IF he could limit you, he would. He then goes on to say that he won't permit his software to be compatible with other platforms like Visual Studio, _even at the cost of performance_. If that's not cutting your nose off to spite your face, it's still definitely a direct attempt to limit your freedom.

He just says that he won't do it and explains why you should not either. That's hardly limiting you from doing anything.

Even though I don't agree with his position (I fit in the "I don't care if it works on Windows or not, if you care pull requests are always welcome" camp), it's a reasonable one to have.

Re: Please do not port software to Windows (2001)

#40
post #32

EDIT: Just saw this is from 2001, so may be a tad bit justified in the MS context. I still stand by the "goes against the community spirit" thing though. Doesn't this sort of closed-mindedness fly in the face of the spirit of FOSS and community? Plus, today's MS is not the evil empire of yesterday. I'd rather be in bed with them than, say, Oracle. Long time Java hating .NET guy here- so I am probably biased though.

I believe you are mistaken and giving them a too easy pass. They have improved, but not by much:

[1] http://www.infoworld.com/article/2841412/open-source-softwar...

[2] https://nudgedelastic.band/2016/01/i-am-still-not-buying-the...

[3] http://www.infoworld.com/article/3042699/open-source-tools/m...

Post reply on HN