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Gnome.org Desktop Integration Bounty Hunt
tempest303 writes "In order to help improve integration between apps on the Gnome desktop, Gnome.org is offering bounties for the completion of a variety of integration tasks. Bounties range from $15, for submitting new .ical files for Evolution 2.0's multiple calendar view, to $2500 for allowing synchronization between Evolution's addressbook with Gaim's buddy list!"
It's all good and well to program for love and pride, but these rewards will help the project move over some of the less glamourous problems.
Consolidation is important in the Linux world; if coders spent more time on it instead of creating new competing apps (not that there's not a place for that), the world would be a better place.
Treehugger? Treehugger... Treehugger!
Actually, its on a tight timeframe, the rules state that it has to be officially accepted into CVS, follow clean code and be nice.
People may cooperate, but unite behind one front-man.
This means that a lot of hacking will go on in the shadows, then pour out "when its done", Just like usual. Since the code has to pass the module maintainers eyes, form and correctness will be ensured.
Overall I think this is a great incentive. (Compare this to Abiword and the patchbounty, for example )
I didn't do this, now did I?
Well, once they actually release their code and claim the money prize, their code is now open-source and anyone can look at it. It only motivates them to hide their work until the point where anyone uses it. But I think it's the same way in the current (unpaid) model of contribution... individuals' work is generally not available to anyone until they release it.
The bounty page says that they are trying to achieve integration between key components of the linux desktop. Evolution, OpenOffice.org, and gaim, are a few key components of the linux desktop. You may choose not to use them, but that doesn't make the statement false.
And since when did hackers need money to hack?
Hackers don't necessarily need money in order to hack. You miss the point of this contest. The point is, it's a win-win situation. If you are a hacker and could use some extra money, now you have some extra motivation to grab a task and work on it. And it's a win for Novell, who I hear donated the funding for this. So my question is, why are you so negative?
And where does this leaves the previous claims of GNOME being "integrated"?
There is always room for improvement, wouldn't you say?
Why can't those making the money, i.e. Ximian / Novell / SUN do the work for their profits?
They do. But now those outside Novell, etc. have a chance to make some money and contribute to our favourite desktop.
Celebrate the finer things in life
Why? because of a very dangerous thing called "scope-creep". I freelance, and get small contracts (< $20k). I've worked in big contract shops before, multi million dollar software being designed and implemented a la carte for our custommers, and yet, despite all that experience in large shops, it's extremely difficult with even the smallest project to first nail a solid technical spec document, and then to stick to it.
Now this is when I'm dealing one on one with the client, over phone etc... Imagine what this scenario would be like on an online forum...
Unmanageable to the nth degree, methinks.
Wouldn't have been more easy for Evolution, Gaim and other programs to share a single addressbook?!
Learn from KDE, where Kopete is now dumping it's own contact list in order to share the same Kaddressbook with Kontact, KMail and any other KDE program.
Why making things more complicated instead of making them simplier?
FINALLY, someone out there is getting the idea! You can't eat a "thank you", and while the amounts paid may or may not be worth the effort put in, it's something! Great incentive.
With even a little bit of cash out there for developers to earn, projects like gnome can go a lot farther, a lot faster IMO. My hat is off to you guys at gnome.org!
BeauHD. Worst editor since kdawson.