Ruby on Rails creator deplores “open source hooliganism”
Ruby on Rails creator David Heinemeier Hansson has Express his concerns about what he calls “open source hooliganism.”
Hansson recounted a recent incident involving the Manuscript community and its reaction to a decision made by the team behind turbo.
Hansson began by recognizing the passion many developers have for their favorite programming languages and tools. He noted that the enthusiasm displayed by these individuals is a testament to their dedication to the software development profession.
He cautioned, however, that there is a fine line between being a passionate advocate and becoming a dogmatic activist.
The specific incident Hansson is referring to revolves around Team Turbo’s decision to remove TypeScript from its project.
Although some people with legitimate concerns and technical expertise raised objections, the majority of the debate was dominated by what Hansson called “open source hooligans.” These were people who had no vested interest in Project Turbo, but who fervently defended TypeScript and attacked those who disagreed with them.
Hansson detailed the absurdity of the situation, citing numerous pull requests demanding TypeScript be brought back into Turbo and even one issue calling for it to be removed from the project. He described this behavior as “unbalanced open source hooliganism” and expressed disappointment in the reaction of some in the TypeScript community.
While heated debates about technology are nothing new, Hansson believes this particular incident crossed the line and does not constitute constructive discourse.
Parallels have been drawn with past debates within the tech community – such as the legendary battles between Sony PlayStation and Sega Saturn – but Hansson stressed that defacing open source repositories and engaging in defamatory behavior is still unacceptable .
Hansson called on those who truly care about TypeScript to think about the incident and consider whether such behavior is an appropriate way to promote their favorite technology. He encouraged enthusiasts to find more constructive ways to express their enthusiasm without resorting to personal attacks or defacing open source projects.
Hansson’s comments are a reminder that while technology debates are inevitable, maintaining professionalism and respect for divergent opinions is essential for a healthy open source culture.
(Photo by Ivan Vranić on Unsplash)
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