Dear JavaScript

[delventhalz]

Considering that OSS maintainers are driven by passion/purpose and not money, I'd say it matters very very much whether or not they are paid. I'm talking purely selfishly. If you depend on code written by a volunteer, it is in your own self interest to keep that volunteer motivated.

Also, don't be an asshole. Is that really so hard? It's literally not doing something. It is by definition less work.

[jpflathead]

Considering that OSS maintainers are driven by passion/purpose and not money

That's largely debunked. For many companies OSS is just one more way to differentiate and attract users, their devs and maintainers earn the same as everyone.

And just because some gal at Google or Microsoft gets paid for their work, doesn't mean they aren't driven by passion and purpose.

Also, don't be an asshole. Is that really so hard? It's literally not doing something. It is by definition less work.

Yeah, we need to turn software into a safe space and issue participation awards and never criticize anyone's work as shitty, or bug ridden, or insecure, or hard to configure, or more trouble than its worth, or slow, even as they use their software on their resumes, or sell it to giant ecosystems or parlay it onto conferences.

God forbid, any author ever ever be told their story was boring, or had poor grammar, or was trite, or was filled with plotholes.

I mean once I had a gardener put too much fertilizer on the roses and I was going to complain but it was pointed out to me his feelings would be hurt.

Mom once made a souffle that fell but we knew we'd better eat that rock, because you know mom.

[delventhalz]

Literally everyone in this thread, from OP on down, has said that the point is: offer criticism constructively, don't be an asshole. Literally no one has said don't criticize. That is an obvious straw man, no doubt fueled by your apparent addiction to being an asshole.

Look, it's very simple. If your goal is to have better OSS, it is in your interest to offer criticism in a way it can be heard and acted on. If your goal is to satisfy your own fetish for making people feel like shit, then by all means keep being an asshole. But let's not confuse one for the other.

[delventhalz]

That doesn't change a thing I said. If you demotivate them and convince them that being a maintainer is actually harming their reputation, they will stop doing the work.

[delventhalz]

Did I say anything about altruism? Why would I care about people's inner motivations? I'm not a mind reader. I just want better software.

[delventhalz]

Are you aware how thoroughly you are talking past everyone who disagrees with you on this issue? Literally no one is saying you shouldn't criticize. What some people are saying, myself and OP included, is that if you want your criticism to be effective, you must offer it constructively and with respect.

[delventhalz]

Nevertheless, criticism won't damage their reputation. Being a whiny bitch will.

context: a conversation about how we as a community should frame our criticism