The CVS Cop-Out

NewsForge (also owned by VA) has a short piece attempting to call into focus one of the major complaints of end users, the "CVS cop-out". From the article: "One of my biggest pet peeves with open source software is what I call the CVS cop-out. It works like this: I criticize (accurately) some shortcoming of an open source application either in an article or in conversation, and someone responds with, 'That's not true! That feature was fixed in CVS four weeks ago!' [...] I bring up the CVS cop-out not because I have an answer for it, but to air it out. Sometimes, giving a problem a name helps to foster discussion that leads to resolution."

The CVS Copout....

[LordEd]

...was fixed 4 weeks ago! Didn't you get the memo?

In related news...

[OpenSourced]

Your check is in the mail too.

don't forget...

[rivaldufus]

"It's already fixed in subversion..."

Oh .. I get it.

[gru3hunt3r]

(Speaking on behalf of open source developers everywhere)

You're right, next time we'll respond with "Screw you, if it's really that important -- fix it yourself and provide binaries to everybody on the Internet"

First they want free software.
Then they want good software.
Now they want good, free, software - instantly.

F*cking users.

Hmm....

[Newer Guy]

And I thought this thread was about a drug store chain getting rid of their security officers......

The solution to the CVS cop-out is...

[donaldGuy]

switching to the Subversion cop-out... its more efficient and that way you could cop-out even further .. "well I fixed that bug but it was in an atomic commit with all the other pointless bugs you have discovered and in the middle of it the power went out and I don't want to resubmit until I'm sure its safe"

Re:The CVS Copout....

[blowdart]

And if it hasn't been fixed, well the source is there, fix it yourself. Geez.

Re:The CVS Copout....

[Anonymous Coward]

Next time, try checking out the humor patch, it might make your life better, ok? *roll eyes*

Wanted: Someone to go back in time with me ..

[DirtyShaman]

We need to retrieve code patches that were posted to CVS three months ago. This is not a joke. We can patch the code after we get back. You must bring your own computer. Functionality not guaranteed. I have only done this once before..

Re:Not unique to open source

[swillden]

Of course, the Microsoft equivalent of 'it's fixed in CVS' is even less useful to the end user, as the end user quite likely neither has nor will get access to the Windows source code.

Bah!

Damned lazy users always whining about how they can't get what they want and thinking developers should just hand it to them on a silver platter.

Look, there's a simple, easy process that you can follow that will allow you to obtain the benefit of fixes found in Microsoft's source repository system. The steps are utterly obvious to anyone who gives it *any* thought at all, but just because I'm a nice guy I'll spell them out for you:

1. Get a master's degree in CS from a top tier school.
2. Acquire significant expertise in developing the sort of application whose fix you are interested in.
3. Learn what sorts of personal and intellectual characteristics Microsoft likes to hire, and acquire those characteristics.
4. Move to Redmond, Washington.
5. Wait for the group that develops the application you're interested in to get an opening and apply for it.
6. Get hired.
7. Be promoted to the point where you have access to the source repository.

See what I mean? It's so *easy*, and yet stupid, clueless lazy users just won't put forth any effort to resolve their own problems.

Re:The CVS Copout....

[RLiegh]

Geez, you had to duck down really low for that one to fly over your head. I bet you're really great at playing limbo [wikipedia.org]!

Re:The CVS Copout....

[Cal Paterson]

I bet you wrote that arctile just so you could link to it.

Re:The diplomatic response

[soft_guy]

No it means:

1. I saw a bug one time that sounds similar AND
2. Someone made some changes to that general area of the code SO
3. I'm gonna call it fixed until proven otherwise.

Re:The diplomatic response

[Tim Browse]

Compare and contrast:

So, why can't you as the developer listen to my bug report, figure out what's going on, and just tell me "Oh yeah, I see where that's happening. Give me a few days/weeks/months to ready the code for a new release to get that fix out to everyone."?

with:

Why? Because I have a husband and a social life that is more important to me than a bit of program code.

I presume I don't have to draw you a diagram.