[mythtv-users] Where to find Myth Setup Information?

[mark Deneen]

On Sun, Jan 9, 2011 at 10:59 PM, Gavin Hurlbut <gjhurlbu at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Sun, Jan 9, 2011 at 10:03 PM, mark Deneen <mdeneen9000 at gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Get as haughty and insulted and defensive as you like. It makes me laugh,
>> actually. I may be the dumbest user you've ever heard of, but I have 5
>> computers and dozens of large applications I've purchased and installed, and
>> please trust me on this - - none of them have this level of McGuyver
>> bailing-wire nonsense associated with their installation or use. Have I ever
>> had to recompile parts of a program to get it to work? Uh, no.
>>
>
> Well, I guess MythTV may not be a good fit for you then.  MythTV is not a
> simple application, and although there is work in progress to make setup
> simpler, it will always be a somewhat complicated application to setup, I'd
> expect.  And yes, it usually will require recompilation unless you are using
> a package created by someone for your use.
>
> If you would like to help make the documentation better, I'm sure your
> contributions would be welcomed.  Simply dumping all over the project and
> the developers because the documentation isn't up to your standards isn't
> terribly productive.  This is open source...  contributing is the way to
> make it better, not arguments, and certainly not by attacking those who do
> contribute.
>
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>
>
Right. It's not a good fit, and I won't be using it. That's understood since
this evening. What's not understood is my complaint. I am not trying to
"argue" with anyone. I am trying to give feedback to those who might make
use of it, but those people are so defensive they don't comprehend the value
of what I am saying.

Let's look at the opening paragraph on the MythTV home page: *"MythTV is a
Free Open Source software digital video recorder (DVR) project distributed
under the terms of the GNU GPL. It has been under heavy development since
2002, and now contains most features one would expect from a good DVR (and
many new ones that you soon won't be able to live without)." *

That opening is absolutely misleading to regular computer users
(non-programmers) who think you are offering an application. Heavy
development for 9 years? I think a typical user is going to expect a level
of accomplishment after 9 years that would rival a major commercial
application that they are used to acquiring. Part-time is no excuse. If it
isn't working after 9 years, someone ought to recognize that the original
design specification was too ambitious. "Open Source" should not become a
crutch, or an excuse. It's fast becoming a euphemism for "don't expect
much," and that's not going to bode well for what you are trying to
accomplish.

Here's what that opening graph ought to say if the developers were honest
about this product: "This is a difficult set of programs to setup and
install. It is not a finished application. It requires extensive use of the
Linux shell commands, compiling segments of the program, and editing
configuration files with very thin user documentation. Many complex
features, messages and terms are unexplained and must be learned
independently. But for programmers, and others who can spend the time it
takes to learn the complicated installation, you will end up with a nice
software DVR running under Linux."

Had I read *that* "fair warning" in the opening paragraph, I would have
recognized instantly that MythTV is not suited for me. I would not have
given it a second thought and just moved on. There's an old saying in
engineering: *under commit and over deliver*. The reverse is absolutely
deadly.  I should think anyone associated with this might want to take that
advice under serious consideration.

As for contributing to your documentation, I would if I thought it would
help. I am an excellent technical writer, but this bowl of spaghetti isn't a
job for one writer now. The time for a great tech writer was when you began
9 years ago!

That's all the input I have to offer. I am sorry so many of you took this
defensive posture of assuming I am "arguing" with you. I don't know you,
thus I don't have a reason to argue with you. As an engineer and marketeer I
always considered input from the most unhappy customer as the most valuable.
Anyone can say nice polite things about your widget - you'll learn nothing
that way.

Good luck to you all, and really, I am sorry if I offended you personally.
I'll unsubscribe from the list now.
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