Re: gEDA-user: rant: pcb print from command line

[Peter Clifton <pcjc2@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Tue, 2010-03-09 at 21:33 +0200, Duncan Drennan wrote:
> > If the senior developers are fed projects and requirements, suitably
> > discussed and planned, they'd be more likely to work on them.  We
> > currently work on our own desires because we know what we want, to
> > solve our problems.
> 
> That sounds nice, but the reality is quite different (understandably).
> Firstly, who feeds the projects and requirements to the developers?

Bug reports, feature requests are two ways. Personally, I tend to work
on things I will use myself (as a user of the software), or think will
increase its adoption and usability. I do fix bugs, but usually only
serious / crash bugs, or bugs I've introduced with my own changes.

My "own projects" also include non-visible long-term-plan type code
refactoring, and those mostly get done either because they stand in the
way of something "cool" I fancy doing at some point, or out of
satisfaction for having developed a cleaner way to write the code.

> Secondly, raising ideas for discussion often ends (quickly) in the
> comment, "If you want it, just develop it yourself." In practice
> developers work on their own projects (because it is fun and
> fulfilling) and not on user requirements (unless they align). Someone
> else's requirement is more like work - why do that in your spare time?

There will be overlap of course.. I think all the gEDA / PCB developers
actually use the tools, so my project might also address issues other
users want resolved.

> This situation is perfectly understandable, but it does raise some
> questions, like,

> How are projects identified?
> How are important bugs and feature requirements identified?

> Do non-developers have a say? (no is a valid answer, someone just
> needs to decide)

Everyone gets a say.. only the developers (or those who choose to become
developers) get to vote by writing the features ;) gEDA development is
not a democracy, but I feel that the developers are willing to listen to
reason, appreciate user input, and have a genuine interest in seeing the
project thrive.

> What is the forum to constructively discuss ideas and requirements?

Email (here), IRC (#geda on irc.seul.org), private discussion..

> How should these ideas and requirements be presented? (i.e. raise the
> bar for presenting ideas so that it is not as simple as sending and
> email saying "It would be nice if...")

If the idea is worked up to the point you can present it that
completely, it sounds as if the presenter would have already done a lot
of the difficult design work. The next step would be feedback, and / or
writing code. The wiki is good for gathering proposals, and I've
personally used google docs, google wave etc.. for such things in the
past.

> What motivates developers to work on projects that are not their own?

Reward through appreciation and praise, knowing that others are using
their work.

Reward through satisfaction that the gEDA / PCB products are better as a
result of their contributions

Smugness at the thought we might have one-up'd a feature in a rival
package...

All sorts of reasons.

-- 
Peter Clifton

Electrical Engineering Division,
Engineering Department,
University of Cambridge,
9, JJ Thomson Avenue,
Cambridge
CB3 0FA

Tel: +44 (0)7729 980173 - (No signal in the lab!)
Tel: +44 (0)1223 748328 - (Shared lab phone, ask for me)



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