AnotherKpresser1d ago
How long is a piece of Inkscape String?
https://youtube.com/watch?v=IxriZsGPGqE&is=hO6sqElvQMDGe9tA this week #inkscape gets a new feature! @doctormo adds the ability to measure segments and curves length and angles. Also inkscape is still looking for people to hire in three different roles
Also also, #payforfreesoftware
How long is a piece of Inkscape String?

YouTube
Martin Owens Mar 3, 2025

The win at the #Oscars of #blender made film #Flow shows just what is possible when #FreeSoftware and #OpenSource takes itself seriously and doesn't confine itself to being made by or made for *just* hobbiests.

It IS possible to get great, industry leading software, and make it ethically by focusing on the business, the economics, the design as well as the engineering of the problem.

Users must be served; developers must be paid.

#PayForFreeSoftware

Martin Owens Feb 8, 2025

This week's #inkscape update is out and about PDF and I think I might have found some ways of breaking the #PDF specification.

At least... I can make PDF viewers do different things with the same files and that the spec is very ambiguous.

https://youtu.be/-wBqIu598IE

#foss #opensource #FreeSoftware #PayForFreeSoftware #vectorArt #LibreGraphics #illustrator #art #printing

I Broke PDF with this Inkscape Update

YouTube
Martin Owens Nov 22, 2024

Had to explain to another user why asking a volunteer project to fix an issue is inappropriate.

And I get that's it's a really subtle point here between saying "I also have this problem" (fine) and "Please fix this issue" (not ok)

i.e. You can only ask people you have a relationship with to do work for you. You can NOT ask strangers to labour for you for free, even if you think it's important, or appropriate.

#FreeSoftware #OpenSource #PayForFreeSoftware

Martin Owens Nov 20, 2024

Users need service, service needs labour, labour needs money, money needs coercion, coercion needs control, control needs ownership, ownership leads to abuse.

This is how the great chain of software abuse happens. Free software has for too long focused on breaking the chain at money, instead of breaking it at coercion. We can fix this.

#PayForFreeSoftware #freesoftware #foss #oss #linux

Show threadpoleguy looking for lost toolsJul 22, 2024

@K_REY_C @doctormo As I read this I was literally just on a work call where somebody suggested that if our company were to financially support open source development that our employees would contribute to #foss and could design a gui for #slurm that could rival the gui for #jenkins

I laughed out loud.

The #payforfreesoftware can't just be about individuals donating coffee to github projects. If it does not incentivize corporate middle managers to pay for free software the needle won't move.

Martin Owens Jul 22, 2024

The "problems OSS has, is, more often than not, UX/UI related."
- Youtube comment

No. The UX problems #foss has are entirely down to how we negotiate our relationships between creators and users. We fail to mediate our economic interests and we fail to apportion importance to community management.

Projects that have strong relationships; have a better chance of having UX.

Because it's easier to listen to people you know and easier to act with resources.

#PayForFreeSoftware