Why Slashdot sucks (Blake redux)
Slashdot is amusing, because they Just Don’t Get It. Of course, this hasn’t changed at all since I became aware of the site, but its probably worse now, or I’m just less of a n00b.
Firefox, and the current peer group, isn’t as elitist as everyone likes to think. That said, if you disagree with us on core philosophy, you’re not going to become a peer/your patches probably won’t always get accepted. But that’s the only sane, logical way to build a coherent app. I have yet to see a single decision that I could not understand or accept, this is getting up on two years’ involvement with the project. We’re all mostly in sync on our concept of where we’re going, and what makes a good feature, which makes the need for lots of consultation unnecessary. If I’m looking at a patch, 95% of the time I know right off if its a good change and whether we want it, without having to think about it. Certain times we all ask/question one another on certain points, but for the most part the benevolent oligarchy works quite well.
That said…. YES, we want help. Reviews are presently slow, which doesn’t help perception. I’ll blog about this later, but its an issue we don’t have a solid solution to, not that anyone ever has had one. But a well-tested, well-thought-out patch for something is always welcomed. Prove yourself, and your talents/instincts, and things will progress naturally.
I spent over a year putting in nearly full-time hours on Mozilla-related work before I started doing reviews on Firefox, and I think I “officially” became a Firefox peer around December, after putting in around (at a rough, low-ball estimate) 3000 hours of time and effort into the project. I shudder to think about the time ben or blake have put in since they started. If someone puts that much time in, I would expect they’ll progress along a similar path.
Agreed.
I lurked for quite some time, then submitted bugs, tested, etc. Then small patches.
Then I grew up a little more and took up the reporter tool, which occupies me right now (the time I have to devote to open source).
Where will I go next? We shall see. I’ve got ideas for enhancements/extensions etc. that interest me. I’ll see what’s needed, and make that decision when the time comes.
If the objective of your post was to try and convince readers the Firefox team isn’t elitist I think you’ve failed. The title immediately slams the a lot of geeks, you then say they “Just Don’t Get It” and you use the word noob… and we’re not even to the content.
The last paragraph reads to me as “I did a lot of hard work to get here and you’d have to if you want to join us.” Now you point out you are “here” and they are not and that they’d have to work hard to get “here” too.
That cry rings out elitist too.
Don’t get me wrong I appreciate the hard work of the Firefox team and they very well may not be as elitist as currently branded, but your blog entry isn’t helping.
[)
“Firefox, and the current peer group, isn’t as elitist as everyone likes to think”
Elitist is probably the wrong word, but, as you describe here, it’s not very open.
“Reviews are presently slow, which doesn’t help perception … But a well-tested, well-thought-out patch for something is always welcomed”
But that’s a contradiction – being welcoming is all about the perception. If a patch doesn’t get a review (or even a response) for 3 months, then it isn’t being welcomed.
It’s not necessarily a problem if people have to put in 3000 hours before they get to be a peer, unless you decide that you need more peers and find that there aren’t too people who are qualified.
It is mainly a perception problem, because people keep saying that it’s an open project, anyone can contribute, patches are welcome etc. etc
“The title immediately slams the a lot of geeks.”
Who effing cares? Let’s be honest, here, Slashdot is for Linux nerds what Free Republic is for dumb rightwingers and Democratic Underground is for leftwingers–one big echo chamber/pecking party. If the alternative is elitism, then by Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz, bring on more elitism!
Click Here…
Click Here…
I just don’t have anything to say these days. I’ve just been sitting around doing nothing. More or less nothing seems worth bothering with.