From: Eric Wong Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2012 03:10:48 GMT Subject: Re: OT: mail-based interfaces and web-based interfaces (Re: Extract Message-ID: <20120726031048.GA8034@dcvr.yhbt.net> In-Reply-To: <5010AC7B.6020805@pobox.com> Michael G Schwern wrote: > On 2012.7.25 4:48 PM, Eric Wong wrote: > > We need to use something. Right now our choice of mailer is the best > > choice for _existing_ contributors. > > I believe this entire discussion can be reduced to that right there. > > If your process is optimized for existing contributors, it will work well for > existing contributors, who will want to optimize it for themselves. Repeat. > If the main way you evaluate your process is asking "is this more convenient > for me" then you're probably in that spiral. > > This creates a process very well tuned to the existing contributors, and its > very convenient for them. But the consequence is it becomes more and more > work for a new contributor to join. The process is _not_ a lot of work. At least no more than any other project: observe the regulars -> imitate the regulars Many/most regular git contributors are not Linux kernel developers, yet were able to quickly able to get up-to-speed with git. AFAIK, the Linux kernel gets plenty of new contributors every year, too. > Before talking about anything else, the existing contributors have to ask > themselves a simple question: Do we care about getting new contributors? Yes, if contributors are willing to learn/respect existing conventions. We do take time to help new contributors out :) For me, it's certainly "no" if there's any endorsement of non-Free Software or centralized/commercial services involved. > The answer can be "no" ("yes, but not if I'm inconvenienced" is a no). Maybe > you're happy with the people you've got. But there's no point in getting into > detail until that's settled.