TriNetre - Archive for October 29, 2002
(no longer updated)
October 29, 2002
Open source project and feedback
[Musings]
@ 06:04 PM
I have been maintaining the Backend News Project for some time now and it has been downloaded, the last time I checked, around 1740 times totally (summed over all versions and all downloadable files). The latest version (1.0.31) of the Perl module has been downloaded 551 times, while the "Using" file has been downloaded 330 time. Not too great, but not too bad either.
However, what is interesting is the fact that there rarely has been any feedback on the module. There has been around 5 or 6 forum feedbacks and maybe around 5 personal emails. Is my coding and functional specs so perfect that there is no way any improvement can be made? Or is it that the people (users) don't bother to give any feedback? Like almost all projects I have involved myself with, I started this project because I wanted some functionality that was not available. At the same time, at the back of my mind, I was wishing for some kind of feedback loop that could help me develop better codes and understand the whole concept of Open Source as laid down by Eric Raymond. But it doesn't seem to have happened.
It may sound like I am whimpering, but the truth is after more that 2 years, I am still trying to find out how the whole cycle of Open source projects work. This whole musing came about because I am writing a report on Open Source Project Management for a course and it set me thinking on the projects I have involved myself with.
Scoop seems to be doing fine and some of the developers may still remember me. Backend News doesn't seem to be doing well. Maybe it is because of the fact that the RSS based feed readers are becoming common place in desktops and no one wants it to be placed on personal websites. Or maybe because my modules just doesn't cut it. Maybe.
Donald Knuth
[Technology]
@ 07:39 AM
I decry the current tendency to seek patents on algorithms. There are better ways to earn a living than to prevent other people from making use of one's contributions to computer science." Donald E. Knuth, TAoCP vol 3
Richard M. Stallman, Linus Torvalds, and Donald E. Knuth engage in a discussion on whose impact on the computerized world was the greatest. Stallman: "God told me I have programmed the best editor in the world!" Torvalds: "Well, God told *me* that I have programmed the best operating system in the world!" Knuth: "Wait, wait - I never said that." From rec.humor.funny. submitted by ermel@gmx.de (Erik Meltzer)
"Computer programming is an art form, like the creation of poetry or music" Donald E. Knuth[1974]
