[FFmpeg-user] ffmpeg issue

[Phil Rhodes]

> Secondly, you keep complaining about *nix; why?

Phil: Hello. This piece of opensource software is causing $PROBLEM under  
Windows 7, any suggestions?
Nerd: Use linux and compile latest svn.
Phil: Well, linux isn't for everyone. Now, abut $PROBLEM...
Nerd: Linux does everything and is really easy to use and helps cute  
animals.
Phil: Everything? Wow. Is there an equivalent to $SOFTWARE?
Nerd: Er... linux isn't for everyone... and ur teh suck.

That's why. I make no apology if my response is robust.

> I like freedom myself in some circumstances and in others I am willing
> to pay the money to just have it work.

Pretty much describes my attitude, too.

> Again, because they are so many different environments that ffmpeg could 
> be installed too, especially when it comes to *nix, that I'm not sure at 
> this point what needs to be done exactly to improve it, yet.

Couldn't agree more. The only way to fix these configure-and-build issues  
is to make all linux distros so similar that there would be very little  
point in having all these different ones. The core problem is one of a  
complete lack of consistency and standardisation, and I view this as more  
or less unsolvable in the realm of linux and free software.

> I would however, expect the folks that write
> ffmpeg to be able to sort that one out and improve the documentation.

And on that day, the devil will be ice-skating to work.

> Lastly, as far as this list and how they seem to expect people to be
> somewhat near their level of understanding about all things ffmpeg, I've
> complained about this as well.

I think it's more utter, undisguised contempt for anyone who isn't an  
expert software engineer. A lot of disciplines suffer this sort of  
snobbery, but I think the open source community has made arrogance into an  
absolute science and it is really terrifying to behold the degree of  
brass-necked snobbery of which these people are capable. The fact that it  
is neither possible or desirable for every person on the face of the  
planet to be a linux expert apparently doesn't occur.

P