Extremely poor quality of GNUStep applications

[Zhang Weiwu, Beijing]

Hi.

Having tried GNUStep a few years ago, I remember by working a few days I 
only reached the level I can get GNUStep running plus only one or two 
applications (GNUMail perhaps). Consider so much trouble using it I gave 
up deciding to come back 2 years later to check progress. So this year I 
got GNUStep running again, this time on my FreeBSD. Although FreeBSD 
have driver compatibility problems with my computer I decide to tolerate 
it because I expect more package dependency and compilation problem if I 
use Windows, and FreeBSD's port's GNUStep section is recommended to be 
better maintained than most Linux distributions' GNUStep section.

I randomly chose 6 applications of my interest and tested run all of 
them. Result: only GWorkspace did not fail fatally. By fatally I mean it 
doesn't deliver the basic use of the software. If a painting software 
cannot show paint brush, for example, it's a fatal failure.

Here is my test result.


         CDPlayer 1.5.0

       * There is no place to configure which device is the CD drive,
         and it looks to me CDPlayer made a wrong guess by itself, thus
         it doesn't work. No button works.


         GNUStep Mplayer 0.4.1

       * You can go to file open dialogue, but you can never select
         anything. Not .wav, .avi, .mp4. In fact, you can browse
         folders, but you will not see what files are there in the
         folders. So, you cannot use it at all.


         GWorkspace 0.8.8

       * People say this is like Finder in Mac OS, thus I expect to be
         able to browse and launch applications from GWorkspace. But
         it's really difficult to find applications. In the end I
         realized it's eaiser to add '/usr/local/GNUStep/Local' and
         '/usr/local/GNUStep/System' to the upper panel (perhaps
         shortcut panel), because there are applications scattered
         around Tools or Applications folder of these folders. Isn't
         there a simple way to get a list of all applications like in
         every other system (Mac OS, Gnome and Windows)? How does
         everyone else do?
       * In general, it works with a lot other problems but no fatal ones.


         GNUStep Ticker 0.1

       * Problem is very simple, ticker simply doesn't show up. The
         'Add/Update' menu item and 'Instantiate' menu item looks
         confusing, but I guess they mean "fetch latest' and 'show',
         but both are gray, not usable. I am sure I typed correct feed
         URI of my blog <http://zhangweiwu.ixiezi.com/feed/>, verified
         using Firefox.


         GNUStep Slideshow 0.3.5

       * Core dump on launching.


         MPDCon 1.1.99

       * There are two options both named MPD, in fact one means MPD
         server, the other means MPD port. You have to guess it right.
       * MPDCon will not offer default port. You have to find out port
         number and type it yourself.
       * You can check the checkbox for "password" but it won't let you
         enter password. This means the software failed, becaues I
         cannot run MPD without password (I often remote control it
         from my mobile phone which access MPD from outside of the LAN,
         thus mpd need some protection). This is a fatal failure.


Any single fatal failure like described above would make real 'end user' 
immediately turn away from the system. The general application quality 
is way below what FOSS community has been offering in the last decade.

If a desktop software project quality is bad, it usually weights 
developer's requirement more than users. Thus I take a wild guess, that 
I18N is of least importance to GNUStep, as is usually a user's 
requirement than developers. I remember once complain to a FOSS 
developer (he himself not a native English speaker) that midnight 
commander have problem with Chinese file names, he asked "why you even 
need to name files Chinese? you are also an IT person!" and I had to 
explain many of my customer's project doesn't have an English name. 
Hence, I put the I18N issue the last: GNUStep applications are the only 
applications that I cannot type Chinese into it: all other software on 
my computer can accept Chinese, including older stuff like rxvt.

The application quality is at the level of FOSS desktop products 10 
years ago, thus I expect the community behavior is like 10 years ago. 
Thus I think I should expect replies saying "don't sit there and talk, 
if you know so much why don't you help? others are helping!" So here is 
my respond to that reply: I believe showing test result is contributing, 
"complaining with detail" is contributing and by checking progress once 
a few years I am doing not bad as a user, besides I cannot contribute 
like a developer, it's difficult for me to write a Hello World.

Best.

--
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