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Pidgin Controversy Triggers Fork

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the you-gotta-bit-kidding-me dept.

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?

4 of 1,104 comments (clear)

  1. Another bad decision by the pidgin folk by Improv · · Score: 5, Informative

    This wouldn't be the first time the pidgeon folk have decided to change the interface and refused to let people keep things the way they liked. Forks have been threatened before over their decision to hide protocol icons as well. I'm glad they separated the gui from the rest of the program - both this and the protocol icon decision really bug me.

    --
    For every problem, there is at least one solution that is simple, neat, and wrong.
  2. Re:Good God by Lobster+Quadrille · · Score: 5, Informative

    rather:

    No slashdot thread is complete without at least one (1) Microsoft bash.

    Corollary: As it adds to the completeness of the thread, it will be modded informative.

    --
    "The cup is in turn designed for holding hot or cold liquids, and has an open rim and closed base." --US Patent #5425497
  3. Re:Implement it as a plugin! by QCompson · · Score: 5, Informative

    There is a plugin available that does just that, but the Pidgin developers don't want to include it as a default plugin. Partly because they don't want to clutter the plugin list, and party because they wish to force users to get used to their auto-resize input area.

  4. Re:Good God by Spy+der+Mann · · Score: 5, Informative

    No slashdot thread is complete without at least one (1) Microsoft bash.


    Alrighty then.

    *ahem* Microsoft SUCK0RZ!!!1111ONE

    There. Mission Accomplished! :)