Pidgin Controversy Triggers Fork
paleshadows writes “Pidgin, the premier multi-protocol instant messaging client, has been forked. This is the result of a heated, emotional, and very interesting debate over a controversial new feature: As of version 2.4, the ability to manually resize the text input area has been removed; instead, it automatically resizes depending on how much is typed. It turns out that this feature, along with the uncompromising unwillingness of the developers to provide an option to turn it off, annoys the bejesus of very many users. One comment made by a Professor that teaches “Collaboration in an Open Source World” argued that ‘It’s easy to see why open source developers could develop dogmas. […] The most dangerous dogma is the one exhibited here: the God feature. “One technological solution can meet every possible user-desired variation of a feature.” […] You [the developers] are ignoring the fan base with a dedication to your convictions that is alarmingly evident to even the most unobservant of followers, and as such, you are demonstrating that you no longer deserve to be in the position of servicing the needs of your user base.’” Does anyone besides me find this utterly ridiculous?
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