The way I see it is that free software is not designed to have these kinds of processes that makes commercial grade software good and widespread.
Of course, UI/UX is hard problem so does writing hardware drivers or optimise kernel code. Even if you use a command line tool, like GIT it has a good UX to it.
git: 'deff' is not a git command. See 'git --help'.
The most similar command is
diff
I really like this and it shows that free software developers care about UX as long as it's in their domain and expertise they can execute.
> I don't need a GUI for diff and patch. Some people prefer one, and that's fine.
You have a good attitude toward this, but then there's people like RMS who flat out wants to ban JavaScript in the browser because "proprietary software". That's not how you succeed with a mission like this. (but I also don't think the state of open source software is too bad either)
> most UX folks I meet are cripplingly dependent on a single technology stack
Then don't ask them to implement the UI part. It's also fine to ask for a prototype in JS/CSS that you can reimplement with the best tools you see fit.
> minimalist X with a minimal window manager without widgets or gadgets or whatever they call all those extra doodads these days good enough?
A good minimalist design is really hard to pull off, so it's good enough, but as hard as making something really shiny.
Tradeoffs are really there so aligning them with your goals is essential.
I'm also a big fan of Git's UX in that regard. Solid point.
W.R.T. Stallman, I sort of agree with him. JavaScript as a portal for code getting on my machine that is ruthlessly obfuscated so I cannot efficiently determine what it is doing is a danger that I personally have significant qualms with wanting to support. I don't mind dynamic webpages, and the functionality it enables, but I absolutely abhor some use cases it enables; namely browser fingerprinting, runtime code encryption/decryption of payloads within the code, and other deceptive practices like running a cryptocoin miner or exfiltrating information I'm not okay with a la exploits like Spectre and Meltdown.
If people were decent and considerate with their JavaScript I'd be more amenable to it. However, the blatant abuse of the technology I've seen perpetrated by the industry just turns me off of it altogether.
>Then don't ask them to implement the UI part. It's also fine to ask for a prototype in JS/CSS that you can reimplement with the best tools you see fit.
Fair.
>A good minimalist design is really hard to pull off, so it's good enough, but as hard as making something really shiny.
Also fair. Do you happen to be a UX person? You sound like a blast to work with.
It's all valid points, but I personally don't care, I rarely see a page that obnoxious because of its JS use. Most sites I find repulsive is their use of ads. Now if there were no JS in browsers, these site would still plant heaps of ads only with CSS, it's not the code execution to blame. If the publisher controls the layout then it's game over for freedom :)
> Do you happen to be a UX person?
Not a label I'd put in my title, but I like UX, it's an integral part of building good products so I spent fair bit of time exercising it. I'm a full stack developer and who likes to build experiences users love.
Of course, UI/UX is hard problem so does writing hardware drivers or optimise kernel code. Even if you use a command line tool, like GIT it has a good UX to it.
I really like this and it shows that free software developers care about UX as long as it's in their domain and expertise they can execute.> I don't need a GUI for diff and patch. Some people prefer one, and that's fine.
You have a good attitude toward this, but then there's people like RMS who flat out wants to ban JavaScript in the browser because "proprietary software". That's not how you succeed with a mission like this. (but I also don't think the state of open source software is too bad either)
> most UX folks I meet are cripplingly dependent on a single technology stack
Then don't ask them to implement the UI part. It's also fine to ask for a prototype in JS/CSS that you can reimplement with the best tools you see fit.
> minimalist X with a minimal window manager without widgets or gadgets or whatever they call all those extra doodads these days good enough?
A good minimalist design is really hard to pull off, so it's good enough, but as hard as making something really shiny.
Tradeoffs are really there so aligning them with your goals is essential.