This is what open source software is all about. If you run into problems or
need missing functionality, you are free to add it yourself – you have the
source code.
Usually the author/maintainer is more than happy to accept a patch and merge
you changes back into the original project. If not (and you feel strongly),
or if the project has been abandoned/neglected, you are free to fork the
source code and start a new open source project.
Almost everyone working on an open source project is a volunteer. We don’t
get paid (at least not Ruby open source developers). Progress tends to
happen in spurts as we have time in our otherwise busy lives, so end-user
fixes and contributions are almost always welcome.
Curt
···
On Tuesday, January 20, 2004, 6:45:01 AM, GGarramuno wrote:
What if the library you have to use was not well designed? What if
this is found out only in the middle of the project? What if the
person maintaining the library has no time on their hands to fix it
(or worse, refuses to change it for some other reason)? Do I just
hack into the library and start maintaining my own incompatible
version which I would then have to keep updating every time a new
update to the master library is released?