gEDA-user: strange build failure

[Stuart Brorson]

On Tue, 5 Dec 2006, Adrian Nania wrote:

> I do believe for more than 98% of people working with electronic
> components it is not possible to install and use the latest gEDA
> version. The endless compiling errors and flavor dependencies are
> unbelievable. 
>
> Yeah, we can always google around and after many hard
> working weeks have an installation method working for just a few days
> before some "justified" changes in name or settings.

Actually, it compiles and installs easily, as many have found.  If you
had a different experience, that's too bad.  If you have a
constructive suggestion to make, or have an install issue to raise,
we'd like to hear about it -- politely.  If you're just feeling
cranky, well, go kick your dog and don't post to geda-user.  We're not
interested in your rants, and they make you look bad to boot.
Remember, this list is archived, so from now on people Googling you
will find your strange rant.

> On the other hand, many times we do not have access to a Linux box.
> Windows is unfortunately or not the single available desktop in many
> places. Now, I do not believe Windows users are jerks. Usually they are
> forced to use Windows.

Please remember that gEDA is an open-source project, and is the
creation of volunteers who offer this software to the wider world for
free.  The developers only work on gEDA for fun.  If you want a
windows port, you have the following options:

1.  Try doing it yourself.
2.  If you can't figure it out for yourself, ask *nicely* on the list,
and maybe somebody will do it for you if it looks like fun.
3.  If that fails, you can pay an open-source developer to do it for
you.

Otherwise, you're SOL.  The developers of gEDA owe you nothing, and if
they don't want to devote their time to a Windows port, you're on your
own.  Anyway, its very presumptious of you to think that we will just
jump to it and create cost-free software for you because you asked.

> It is quite normal to end up with many "jerks" when you open your
> product to a few thousands more people. Just ignore them because for
> each jerk speaking to you are 1.000 good people on your side.

I agree with Ales -- a Windows port would open the
floodgates to hords of whining clueless fools.  Why should we subject
ourselves to that?  Supporting the clueful users (and there are quite
a few) is already a big job which we do exclusively for fun.  Better
to keep the barrier to entry a little high since it's not fun to
support the clueless -- particularly without any compensation.

Stuart