[ubuntu-art] Hacking / Kludging - WAS Re: gtk theme

[xl cheese]

All of your are correct!
 
1.  It's good to have stable software for end users.  Most people don't like things to crash or spending time debugging problems.  We need this school of thought for official released code. BUT-
 
2.  It's also good to have people 'Kludging' up progressive new ideas.  Whether or not their code is great or not they are bringing new things to the table which can eventually be polished off and absorbed by the mainstream releases. 
 
We need both conservative AND forward thinkers.  A good example has already been presented.  The Nodoka style is now part of the murrine engine.  Without someone 'hacking' away with Nodoka we would not have that option now in a stable form.  So instead of _laughing_ at them and singing this to yourself in the shower,  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSdjOEf1W4Y , you should send 'em some brownies and a thank you card for their innovative ideas.
 
This is open source code not microsoft.  If someone wants to make a copy, rename it and change it up they should be encouraged to do so and perhaps given a little guidance...  No one's hand is being held to the fire to install them.
 
-wes



> Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 09:17:54 -0600> From: newz at bearfruit.org> To: ubuntu-art at lists.ubuntu.com> Subject: Re: [ubuntu-art] Hacking / Kludging - WAS Re: gtk theme> > On Thu, Mar 6, 2008 at 9:06 AM, Troy James Sobotka> <troy.sobotka at gmail.com> wrote:> >> > >> > Patch the code. Kludge it out when we have no other option. Let the> > >> > progression happen.> > >> > > In short, it isn't really perfectionism (well, a bit...), but it's> > > more a matter of maintainability.> >> > It certainly isn't optimal, and I am well aware of the shortcomings.> > The point isn't to kludge / hack _everything_, but do it where it is> > required to achieve an innovation. Animated progressbars might be an> > example here.> > And let me point out two things:> > The open source moto is, "release early, release often."> > Also, there is a programming standard way to do denote this. You put a> comment in your source code near your hack followed by a TODO: and> what you want to change. Many programming editors will highlight this> line specially and some, like eclipse, will even show a todo list> below the source code editor listing each item.> > You also create a file in your source's root directory called TODO and> outline things you consider less than ideal. It's ok to use a hack if> its well documented and understood what you're trying to do.> > // TODO: is there a better way to show animated scroll bars?> // This is a HACK but it works> // (optional extra explanation if your code is particularly clever and hard> // to understand)> > -- > Matthew Nuzum> newz2000 on freenode> > -- > ubuntu-art mailing list> ubuntu-art at lists.ubuntu.com> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-art
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