On Sat, May 09, 2015 at 04:15:47PM +0100, C R wrote:
For that reason, I don't think that having a large userbase should be among the goals of any free software project. The goal should be achieving technical excellence and giving users powerful tools alone. If you have that and the program happens to be both free of charge as free as in speech, putting no restrictions about how you can use and modify it, it won't be difficult to attract a large userbase.
I think that's a bit like saying: "We want to open a coffee shop, but our goal is not to have lots of customers, or make money." It sounds nice, but it's self-delusion at best. Of course we want lots of customers, and of course we want money. It does not have to be a stated goal, but it is a goal of any business, just as a large user base is a goal of any software project (especially those that want things like crowd-funding).
Inkscape's not a business though...
I suppose the better analogy would be, you want to grow and hand-roast your own coffee beans to brew in your garage. Some of your neighbors pop by to try out the coffee, and many of them pitch in to help with the various chores. Word gets out that you're providing free coffee, and before you know it half the city is passing through your garage.
Then someone points out, "You only have half the city coming through; if you want to get the rest you need to make coffee that tastes more like Starbucks."
Bryce