Open Source·116 discussions

Open Source Sucks

Locked

In the past few years I have been developing using Open Source software in addition to proper software. As a software professional I have to report that Open Source is junk. It’s difficult to install, full of bugs, has no real standard of design and can’t have been tested. All OS documentation looks like it was written by monkeys. It’s all amateur rubbish – no wonder it’s free! Let’s stop wasting our time and give up on Open Source. Who’s with me?

Topic

Who’s with you? EDITED-Give it up, people; he’s a troll

In reply to Open Source Sucks

None of us running Firefox, that’s for sure. Neither are those hundreds of companies running Linux as an embedded OS.

Perhaps you’d care to name specific applications that displeased you. Many of your complaints would apply equally to proprietary programs.

EDITED – Troll. Toss out an inflammatory statement with no intention to reply, then leave. Screen door, and all that…

With the exception of the “free” part

In reply to Open Source Sucks

You have just described Microsoft Windows…

Everything has it’s own degree of

In reply to Open Source Sucks

suckitude, I have yet to find something software wise to really rail about, well except for the I tunes interface, and that is proprietary software.

Some specifics about what has your boxers in a wad would be nice.

Wait – you’ve been developing open source,

In reply to Open Source Sucks

and you think it sucks?

Never mind.

LOL

In reply to Wait – you’ve been developing open source,

Seanferd You made me laugh. Thanks!

The only part of the Open Source Software that I can’t stand, are those snotty nosed, living in Mom’s Basement, drinking Monster, or what ever it is they drink Nerds. The way they praise Ubuntu, Fedora,

It is not superior, it’s just all you anti-socials just know the code more.

Best to just ignore those types.

In reply to LOL

And use what works for you.

Sour Grapes?

In reply to Open Source Sucks

Sounds like the choice to use open source over commercial software was not yours.

I would have to say that the consensus in our office is that open source is superior to commercial software. Most of our developers and many of our end users wish the company would stop using commercial software and switch to a full Linux and open source shop.

Not to imply to open source is perfect. Nor, is there an open source option for every application.

Chas

yes, because Internet Explorer

In reply to Open Source Sucks

is definitely the BEST browser available!

Agree 100%

In reply to Open Source Sucks

When will they get it!

Real software has complete detailed documentation. Not just raw class/member/… listings, but a full discussion of each class and member with all options listed and accurately defined. Formal syntax and semantic charts for languages.

Real software has example code that works. Not something you have to spend three days and 8 hours of online research to get working.

Examples should work out of the box. The code that creates the examples should look at the configuration of the software and determine where they should go and what linkages/settings have to be in place for them to work.

The fact that a system/library/… has to co-exist with other software is no excuse. It just means it’s harder. Standard means of determining versions, conflicts and the like should have been the first things written and standardised by the open source community. Where are they?

The fact that the rest of the industry has dropped it’s standards to match those of open source doesn’t mean that standard is now OK. It’s not. It just means all those vendors are now producing sub-standard products like the open source crowd.

Please note, I am not saying open source software has no merits. I’m saying if you want people to use it instead of proprietary systems, it needs to be documented, packaged and deliverred in a professional manner.

OpenBSD? FreeBSD?

In reply to Open Source Sucks

Pure crap huh? No standards? Poor documentation?

Please.

Now there is plenty of shoddy open source software. But you’re painting with such a broad brush you let me know you’re either trolling or you just plain don’t know what you’re talking about.

I think he PURCHASED a development kit

In reply to OpenBSD? FreeBSD?

…and he is angry because the box it shipped in was missing some of the crayons.

No really I wasn’t trolling – OS is amateur rubbish.

In reply to Open Source Sucks

gbentley gets it. Presumably he’s an experienced developer who hasn’t just left college and thinks that setting up a Joomla site is real ‘development’. There’s a reason why corporates don’t use open source. It’s inconsistent, untested, unreliable, rubbish that has no place in modern software development practices.
It’s only popular at all because most of it is free and people want some thing for nothing (although with OS they are getting nothing for nothing). Ask yourself, would you really pay money for OSCommerce or Moodle or some such rubbish. I only develop using real ‘paid for’ development products now, and I have been way more productive, get support when I need it and have documentation that wasn’t written by a nerd in an attic who’s only ever installeed the software on his laptop. Try it!

Dude, nine days between post and response is trolling.

In reply to No really I wasn’t trolling – OS is amateur rubbish.

Snail mail travels faster than that.

Again, would you care to name specific open source apps that are giving you trouble? I’ll agree that SOME open source products aren’t very good, but neither are all closed source or proprietary apps. If you’ll tell us what you’ve tried, maybe we can suggest some suitable replacements. You’re doing the equivalent of damning the entire Internet just because AOL sucks.

Orlando, United Kingdom?

In reply to No really I wasn’t trolling – OS is amateur rubbish.

You lose sucka.

TR doesn’t have an option for ‘Orlando, Magic Kingdom’.

In reply to Orlando, United Kingdom?

Which appears to be the source of some of these notions.

Who are you to talk?

In reply to Orlando, United Kingdom?

Scotland? You couldn’t make up a better name? You should have tried Narnia, at least people will believe it exists. 😉

Oh dear

In reply to No really I wasn’t trolling – OS is amateur rubbish.

I’ve got twenty plus years in and I use open source, subject to license agreements where it’s a higher quality alternative.
I daresay Mr Bentley would do the same.

The people to be wary of are those who substitute dogma for common sense.

So keep a careful watch on that loon in the mirror…

Exactly

In reply to Oh dear

There are good open source apps and tools. The problem is trying to find them amongst the vast piles of garbage.

Often you only realise something is not upto scratch when you’ve invested time in it. Once you get past the basics you realise the app/library/… isn’t “complete” and won’t do the full job at hand. Then you get into the “can I simplify the needs enough to make this product work” discussion with the client. And they don’t usually appreciate you doing research on their time, let alone wanting to change their requirements to suit your choice of tool.

Regards

There’s a lot of garbage about on the proprietry market

In reply to Exactly

as well, and generally you have to buy it to find out, and you’ve no option but to amend your expectations, especially if you can’t get more resource to reverse the error.

At least with open source you have the option to fix it.

On a level playing field you’d expect bad commercial software to die and to become effectivly unavailable, however for various financial reasons they found a way round that…

As long as I’m allowed to use it, and it does what I need without screwing something else up, I don’t care where it comes from.

Cost of fixing/maintaining it versus, cost of researching an alternative, purchasing and implementing it, much of a muchness.
I do have a tendency to do it myself if I can
, I am not one of those chaps who buys into some huge tool, to make a cell turn red when it’s got a -ve number in it.

There again, in terms of development, my needs are didfferent to those ho are looking for an application as an appliance. If you can’t or don’t want to change an open source utility to meet your needs, then you should eally go out and get the ‘best’ closed source you can.

I donlt mind people who say not not touching that, it’s the buggers who want open source because it’s free as in beer, and then have no intention of contributing and think everyone else should meet their specific needs gratis, that get right up my nose.

“in addition to proper software”

In reply to Open Source Sucks

What is the difference?

Or are you saying OS attempts were amateur rubbish ?

An analogy

In reply to Open Source Sucks

Here’s how I see OS compared to something from, say, Microsoft or IBM. If I want an extension added to my house I could pay a professional to build it or ask in my local bar if any open source fans had ever read a Do-It-Yourself book. The DIYer might have a go but the chances are the works would have patch over patch nailed on, it wouldn’t really end up looking how I wanted and after a little use the house would fall down. The builder would have retired and no-one would want to fix the mess caused. Of course the house would also be burgled due to lack of security.

That’s how I view open source. The cold, hard facts are that .NET/IIS/MSSQL etc. blows LAMP into the weeds at every level (yes I have used both)! Do yourselves a favour and embrace the truth! Well thanks for the chat guys! Adios!

Where your analogy falls apart.

In reply to An analogy

“If I want an extension added to my house I could pay a professional to build it or ask in my local bar if any open source fans had ever read a Do-It-Yourself book.”

Except that many of those at the bar are the same paid professionals, willing to work for free in their off-time, some of whom may have built that house you want to expand. Don’t ask me why anyone would do for free what they could be getting paid for, but they do indeed exist. Their freebie work is of the same quality as their paid work, for better or worse.

From your original post:

“Let’s stop wasting our time and give up on Open Source. Who’s with me?”

Use what you want. If, as you say, you’re more productive with the tools of your choice, then the time wasted by others using open source can only benefit your standing. If you are indeed correct, you don’t need the agreement of others.

Good point

In reply to Where your analogy falls apart.

Why post at all and get buy in when staying silent gives you an advantage over others?

Rumbled.

[Author]

Replies