On Sun, Feb 20, 2005 at 07:02:14PM +0000, Alan Horkan wrote:
Which platform do the Inkscape developers really want to promote?
This may be rhetorical, but if not the answer should hopefully be pretty obvious that we give priority to Linux. But that doesn't mean we want to exclude other platforms.
The view I tend to take (and I think others agree), is that we're not fighting so much for a _platform_ oriented mindshare as much as a _philosophical_ mindshare. I.e., the fight is not Linux-vs-Windows so much as Open Source -vs- Closed.
For those who do want to think in terms of platforms, the presence of Inkscape on Windows is not meant to imply we're embracing Microsoft. A better analogy might be a Viking invasion type thing... Note that we're not adopting native widgets, not using the native compiler, etc. but are bringing the open source versions (gtk, gcc) along with us.
The grand strategy is that Inkscape's presence (along with Firefox, OpenOffice, Gimp, etc.) on other operating systems will flatten the playing field. Once Windows users are comfortably using all-OSS on top of Windows, they become very easy to shift to another platform.
When I first switched to Linux, it was pretty extreme. I had to leave behind all the tools, processes, etc. I had grown accustomed to on Windows and devote several unproductive months to training myself in what was available on Linux. Having these apps on Windows helps reduce the cost of change, so when the user does finally pull up Linux, they'll be able to return to their normal productivity reasonably quickly.
So the question is who are the target users of Inkscape and what are the Inkscape priorities? (I'll leave that as a rhetorical question.)
I can't resist answering rhetorical questions like that, with a big long dissertation. ;-)
In any product, it is worthwhile to know where you get your value, so you can make appropriate decisions and direct resources accordingly.
For commercial software, value comes in the form of money paid by corporations and individuals who purchase the software (presumably to use it). Thus you focus your energies towards efforts that will result in good magazine reviews, prime shelf-space location, etc. If you also put out an actually good and useful product, then you'll also benefit from word of mouth. The name of the game is to get as many people to buy each release of the software. You probably don't care if the user buys the software but never uses it - still counts as a sale. The value allows you to build up the organization, fund support, administration and marketing, and maybe also develop new versions of the software with what cash remains.
Essentially:
1. User spends their time on a job 2. Job pays user some money in exchange for the time spent 3. User pays money for new copy of software 4. Some large portion of money goes to profit, overhead, administration, paying off debt, etc. 5. Some small portion is allocated to improve product 6. Development occurs (out of user's visibility) 7. A new version is packaged and released 8. User learns that a new copy is available, possibly with some features they want 9. Repeat
For open source software, on the other hand, value doesn't come from money paid by users (except maybe for donations, but that tends to be for secondary purposes). Instead it comes in the form of voluntary contributions from people, in the form of patches, articles, bug reports / fixes, translations, packaging, etc. This value results in direct improvements to the software and the organization around it.
Thus, our target users are those that provide value in some fashion back to the project. By focusing on their needs, we can increase the amount of contributions to the project, which accelerates the development, pulls in more users, and improves the software and the community organization that surrounds it.
Essentially:
1. User gets copy of the software, and spends their time improving it 2. Improvements are incorporated into product 3. A new version is released including the changes they wanted 4. Repeat
Inkscape's priorities should focus first on helping existing users that are contributing actively to the project, and to gaining new users that will become contributors in the future. Thus, it is important not only to provide new features and fix bugs but also to make it easier for others to add changes to the software, and to develop good relations such that the community organization improves and grows.
One of the best ways to ensure that actively contributing users are getting their needs met is to encourage those users to work specifically on fulfilling their needs themselves, where they have the skills to do so. By 'scratching their own itch' they can directly ensure things are done according to how they need them. Our strength, though, is in our ability to coordinate and work as a team; each can then do things that leverage their strong skills to do things that maximize the project's gains.
Windows as a platform is important because there are people who will work on improving Inkscape if they can use it there. Similarly for OSX. However, I think we'll get the most bang for the buck from Linux, since Linux users tend to be more active with development communities in general, and because there are so many programmers using Linux.
Bryce