J
@nieuemma @akareilly As you said, you always have the option to leave instead. So they can't just set any rules they'd like, because otherwise their volunteers will just leave.
But that's not an accurate representation of the situation. Sure, if you're running the open source project/soup kitchen, you can set some rules.
But if you're just eating there, or just a user of the software, you can't demand they cater to your taste. You can ask, maybe they will, maybe not. But you can't force them.
@akareilly Also, "shutting out people without the socioeconomic status" is a fairytale.
Most volunteer work is done by poor people. I've seen more solidarity and volunteering in the social housing I grew up in than anywhere since.
Even in hackspaces it's usually not the rich or overpaid consultants doing the dirty work, it's people who can barely afford rent that wipe the floors, sort bottles, spend money they don't have to cook for everyone, and contribute to & maintain open source projects.
@akareilly Let me be frank here:
It doesn't matter if it's one person or twenty, software or an IRL project, an artists' CC0 photographs or free furniture on craigslist.
People give away objects and labor for free because they enjoy it. You can take what they provide, or you can reject it. But you cannot force them to do or give what you'd like instead.
You can offer rewards such as bug bounties or fame (e.g. publicly awarding "accessible project of the month"), but you cannot set demands.
> This view of volunteer work where you just do what you like is strangely specific to FOSS.
That's something I take issue with.
There's nothing strange about using your unpaid, free time to "do what you like"
Whether as individual or as a group, as long as you're developing for free, in your own free time, no one has the right to demand anything.
@fvsch @bitflipped @akareilly (ofc it's an entirely different story for commercial projects or shareware aka "open core")
@fvsch @bitflipped @akareilly
When you give away old furniture on craigslist for free, do you provide free shipping, warranty, and 24/7 customer service?
Do you go to artists who give away their paintings for free and demand changes because you dislike their work?
Open-source solo devs already have a problem with burn-out today. Remember, we do this unpaid in our own free time, as a hobby.
You're free to submit patches for the issues you discover. Be the change you'd like to see in the world.
