SMF (Simple Machines Forums) and Healing
Well, we’re almost two weeks after things broke over at SMF and things have begun to calm down and the healing has begun for many. While I personally don’t agree with everything going on, I am very glad to see things happening and think it’s very positive for the project.
As of this week, there are ongoing discussions between the SMF Friends and the current SMF Team. While there isn’t much to go into now, it’s great to see that people are willing to talk.
In addition to discussions between the two groups, there are still some ongoing discussion and research into both business structure and possible license change.
So despite the rough patch, the SMF Team is working together in a positive manner and moving in a uniform direction. Hopefully they can continue to do so while understaffed. If you’ve ever considered taking part in an open source project, I suggest you see if you can help out in some capacity.
It’s good to see some positive movement, work towards a version 2 release and even some planning for version 3! SMF isn’t going anywhere and that’s good news for everyone!
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healing my ass, see: http://www.simplemachines.org/community/index.php?topic=362862.msg2486763#msg2486763
I agree with Owdy. I’m not a member of the development team but as a user of SMF products, I’ve been keeping track. When I visited the SMF Friends website, the claim was made that the other side was stonewalling, but this comment was posted in a thread began with an ad hominem attatck of the other side.
That’s not how to be persuasive.
I agree with your assessment that the problem is that SMF was set up as an LLC instead of an NPO, which rendered code to be proprietary. The person in sole power clearly knows how a corporation is run, and she hasn’t done anything that is unusual for a corporation (establishing not just copyright but proprietary intellectual property claims, the latter of which runs counter to open source coding). The latest Loyalty Agreement isn’t unusual for a corporation either, including any non-compete clauses.
She would have made a helluva CEO somewhere, but the running of SMF as a corporation with proprietary intellectual property claims on the code puts user support right down the crapper. I’ve been at the receiving end of that more than once.
I don’t like what’s happened at SMF anymore than the next joe, but I don’t see talks progressing well either given the vitriol posted by BOTH sides.
Look–we users expect to be treated respectfully as customers, and there are some Friends who don’t think so, as if there’s zero competition out there. Treat your customers like crap and that’s the best persuasion to use others’ software not yours.
Face it–customer support is critical and withholding that support in the name of proprietary intellectual property is the kiss of death even for the LLC, because the reason why support is critical is because SMF’s current batch of developments is buggy. VERY buggy.
There will be declining demand if these conditions persist.
In the event that agreement cannot be achieved given the ongoing hostilities on both sides, I would suggest a clean break and start over, so as to avoid infringement–AND–work on getting it more turnkey than SMF.
He who has the fewest bugs wins.
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