On: The One in Which I Say Open Source Software Sucks

[tptacek]

There's nothing in this blog post that's blatantly wrong. There's also nothing in it that's news. It's not written better than other sources that have made the same point, which sources include several famous blog posts from usability and UI experts. The author isn't a usability or UI expert. In fact, I'm not sure who he is.

[jodrellblank → tptacek]

If he's making the same point as usability and UI experts, why does it matter who he is?

[tptacek → jodrellblank]

It wouldn't, if he had something novel to say, or an interesting or effective way of phrasing it.

[blasdel → jodrellblank]

Because he's not making any new points. The only way his post could be useful is if he was notable, making his agreement notable.

[gecko → jodrellblank]

Because I am secretly an axe murderer, and who in the end wants to hear an argument from an axe murderer, however valid they might be?

[fatdog789 → tptacek]

At the very least, he's notable for taking all the competing arguments and putting them together into a single post that people have noticed, thereby becoming a potential reference point for future people who will make the exact same arguments.