[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread] 

List:       kde-promo
Subject:    Re: [kde-promo] Re: as far as theKompany is concerned
From:       Jono Bacon <jonobacon () yahoo ! com>
Date:       2002-01-01 18:07:35
[Download RAW message or body]

Hi all,

I though I would add my 0.02c on this whole
discussion.

I find this an interesting discussion as I am a full
supporter and contributor to KDE and I have discussed
vaious things in the past with Shawn also. I have
expressed enthusiasm to Shawn and others about
theKompany, and even had Shawn send me promo material
for me to take to the Linux expo in London when I run
the KDE booth to show commercial software build for
KDE.

I find this whole situation a little unnerving to be
honest as I count Nav, Dre and Shawn; as well as all
other KDE folk as friends. I don't like to see this
in-fighting within our community, and I count Shawn as
much as a KDE community figure as any as he has indeed
contributed to KDE.

Some discussion in this thread has been around the
switch from KDE to Qt with some theKompany apps. I
think we need to look at a number of issues here:

 - Developing commercial software for one platform
instead of three does *not* make commercial sense - I
would prefer to see KDE software by far, but I can
understand the reasoning here.

 - Shawn, if you switch an app from a KDE to Qt app,
it *does* lose functionality in a direct and indirect
way. David covered some of these elements.

 - We should all take a look at both sides of this
discussion. theKompany are indeed bringing users to
KDE even by releasing Qt software. The problem is that
this influx of users are not true KDE users but simply
use KDE as a shell - I would like to see real
dedicated commercial KDE software.

The side of discussion is the positioning of
theKompany and PR which includes references to the
dot. Well, I think theKompany have benefitted greatly
from PR from the dot and others (and I count myself as
one of these). I have personally advocated theKompany
as a good company developing software, and I have to
admit that when I learned of the switch from KDE to Qt
apps, I did find my enthusiasm lag a little as I felt
that we were no longer going to have a true commercial
side of KDE application development - I know Shawn
questions this with regard to functionality, but I do
believe there are very real issues here too.

I don't find this whole discussion of the article from
Shawn on the dot involving dirty deeds too nice. I
think these issues need to be resolved in private.

The thing about this whole situation is that
theKompany can do great things for KDE, and KDE can do
great things for theKompany. I think some KDE folk
need to realise that theKompany need to make money and
this can involve tough decisions to make which may not
be likable to some, but I think Shawn and theKompany
need to realise that you can't just go online and moan
at your customers and appear to take things personally
- these are potential customers and the minute your
reputation starts going belly up, things can be tough
to resolve.

I am not in a position to decide for theKompany or
KDE, but I think we all need to shake hands and sort
things out. It would be nice if Shawn could publish
this article he is discussing - I will host it
somewhere if no-one else, and maybe Shawn can discuss
witht he KDE community about increasing KDE support in
theKompany products.

Remember that we are all forging the same goal but
with differing circumstances.

Cheers,

        Jono




=====
--
Jono Bacon - [vmlinuz] - jono@kde.org
KDE/Qt Developer

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Send your FREE holiday greetings online!
http://greetings.yahoo.com
 
_______________________________________________
This message is from the kde-promo mailing list.

Visit http://mail.kde.org/mailman/listinfo/kde-promo to unsubscribe, set digest on or \
temporarily stop your subscription.


[prev in list] [next in list] [prev in thread] [next in thread]