[MPlayer-users] The future of mplayer

[emaillist+mpu at dogphilosophy.net]

On Wednesday 29 January 2003 05:09 am, Arpi wrote:
[...]
> > Third thing is that you *have* to cut off some features, it *just can't go
> > on like this*. For example mplayer is now in release candidate mode and
> > still you guys are putting in some new features. Every coder should know
> > that when a program is in bugfixing mode implementing of new features
> > should be minimal.
[...emphasis added...]
> We put in features only if they are independent of the rest of the code,
> ie they add new modules to the libs (new codec, new filter etc).

Now, see, I think THIS is why MPlayer developers seem to lose patience with
people complaining at them all the time.

The MPlayer developers are working on a project with a specific set of goals
(okay, maybe it's a vague set of goals, but still) that THEY want to
accomplish.  It's THEIR project.  They are kind enough to let anyone who wants
to play with what they are producing as well.  I, for one, appreciate this.

The problem seems to be that the more MPlayer is heard of, the more people
pop up out of nowhere and try to take over direction of the project from the
developers who have been WORKING on it.

"You MUST make it easier to use." "You GUI sucks, you should focus on making
the GUI better."  "Compiling from source is hard, you have to make binaries
that always work and are easy to install." "Quit adding new features and just
fix things instead"....

Then, when they respond "we don't CARE how EASY it is to use, we're more
interested in how capable it is instead" and "it's OUR project, and we're
working on it for free and will continue to work on what aspects WE think
are more important", they get flamed for being "arrogant".  I think I'd get
pretty terse with people after a few days of dealing with it myself.

The "every coder should know..." comment sounds an awful lot like the
'arrogance' that the MPlayer developers keep getting accused of...
(inadvertently, I'm sure, but think about it, it'd bug ME to hear this...)

> > You should clean the code now, make it more modular and think what
> > people _really_ need. They need a good media player alright and you have
> > succeeded better than others, still your usability just sucks. I

See what I mean?  "Clean your code!  Make it more modular!  You must cater to
what 'people' _really_ need!"

"Easy to use" isn't MPlayer's focus.  That's Xine you want (also an excellent
project...but with a different focus.)  Why do people insist on trying to turn
MPlayer into "Xine 2.0", when Xine is quite capable of getting around to that
themselves?...

The reason Xine seems so much more "friendly" is precisely because
user-friendliness is part of their focus.  Posts insisting on more
user-friendliness are "on-topic" there.  Posts insisting on more
user-friendliness for MPlayer are insisting on something that is
peripheral to what MPlayer is FOR.  Imagine how the Xine developers might
feel if they started getting insistent people constantly posting that they
should be able to use Xine to check their email while they watch a movie?...

> no, not RTFMing IS frustrating.

I agree with Arpi here.  It does take a fair amount of mental work to get
through the documentation for MPlayer...but on the other hand, MPlayer's
documentation is MUCH more comprehensive than most open-source projects.  
I'm sure it's all the more frustrating for the developers that they've spent
all that time writing up all of that documentation (in multiple languages, no
less) and STILL people don't bother to read it, instead complaining that there
isn't a magic button to click to make it do whatever they want...

It's like people complaining that Perl doesn't have a point-n'-click interface
for making programs...

> > Now you have to understand that I have told you only about bad things of
> > mplayer in this mail. There are lots of good features and I really like
> > this software. (why would I have used it for a year otherwise?-) But
> > don't be so naïve and lose time in arguing. You have a nice software now
> > and I think you really should concentrate on usability problems instead
> > of new features. MPlayer already has enough features, that should not be
> > a problem.
>
> I always hated UI coding.

And, right there, is the alleged "arrogance" of the developers.

Poster: "I say you must stop doing what you're doing and make a better GUI!"
Developer:  "I don't want to.  I want to keep doing what I'm doing.  And I
really wish people would quit insisting that I shouldn't."
Pundit: "Such Arrogance!  The Developer must obey!"

I've lurked on this list for some time.  In my experience, the developers here
are reasonably open to suggestions (even if the suggestions aren't always
implemented), but have gotten REALLY tired of DEMANDS...

> > R.S.V.P.
>
> hmm?

Here in 'merica, RSVP is written on invitations to parties and just means
"call and let us know if you're coming", but I think the original poster meant
its more literal meaning of "please respond" :-)

P.S. MPlayer MUST quit wasting all that time on silly GUI's and work on 
implementing support for the Theora codec!  :-)