What Rev Needs -- Again (was "Why is Konfabulator "Pretty?")

Scott Rossi scott at tactilemedia.com
Tue Dec 6 19:12:39 EST 2005


Recently, Bill Marriott wrote:

>> ....I wouldn't push RunRev toward making a Konfab clone. There already is
>> one, and alternatives with even greater reach are an integral part of the
>> two leading OSes.
> 
> Rev doesn't have to become a "clone" it just has to put on a pretty dress
> and go to the prom.

This is a great quote.

As a matter of fact, since the accusations are hurling, flames are flying,
and there's generally a lot of smoke and debris around, I'd like to take
this opportunity throw some fuel on a different fire.  I'll try and put this
as non-ageist as I can:

Rev developers are too old.

Many of us have been around the "development block" many times, some of us a
lot more than others, and we wear this history like a badge of honor.  This
honor is unquestionably well deserved, but it wasn't until a newer Rev
community member came up to me during RevConWest and asked the following
question that it hit me:

"This conference is great, but where are all the young people?"

I realized he was right.  Us old folks have been around, and it's true we
may have a lot to offer in terms of history and experience (and yes, tact),
but we also need the non-conformist, experimental (and yes, rude) young
people to throw caution and HIGs to the wind, question authority, and
generally run amok to push the tools, and what can be done with them,
forward.  Us "safe" old folks aren't going to do it.

One could argue that widgets and the like are minimally useful and nothing
more than eye candy, but indeed it is this eye candy, this 5 second
commercial, which draws people in to learn more.  And if sex didn't really
sell, neither Apple, nor Microsoft, nor virtually every industrial design
company on the planet over the last 5 to 10 years, would have spent the
time, energy, and resources they have in endowing their wares with rich,
materialistic appeal.

"But it's all fluff!" is not an argument; it's a reality, regardless of
whether you agree with it.  And whereas us older, wiser folks will probably
shy away from the risky, untested and "fluffy", it's the young people who
will the first to give something a whirl and see how far they can go with
it.  OK, Rev needs a table object and fine, Rev needs to follow HIG
standards, but what Rev *REALLY* needs is the input from the younger
generations, and Rev needs to listen to it.  I question how much of this
input they'll get with a better table object.

OK, there's my attempt at acting young.  Feel free to flame this old guy for
what it's worth.

Regards,

Scott Rossi
Creative Director
Tactile Media, Multimedia & Design
-----
E: scott at tactilemedia.com
W: http://www.tactilemedia.com




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