[vlc-devel] Christian Santa Hat removal?

Rob Whelan rob-jc at charter.net
Sat Dec 19 05:44:29 CET 2009


Forking code is an obvious answer and one I could do, but the vast majority
of users likely could not.  They either have to use the software 'as is' or
move to something else.  It is easy to say 'move to something else' but that
is not the goal of the project.


The goal of the project is to provide function to as many users as possible.
The issue at hand is not one of function at all.  It is an issue of
developers who have one cultural view and users who potentially have
another.

The base question is who's view is more important.  Are the developers
making software for users or are the developers making software for
themselves.  Let me stress that these developers are amazingly talented and
kind in doing anything at all, but the base question remains.





-----Original Message-----
From: vlc-devel-bounces at videolan.org
[mailto:vlc-devel-bounces at videolan.org]On Behalf Of Brian Weaver
Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 10:56 PM
To: Mailing list for VLC media player developers
Subject: Re: [vlc-devel] Christian Santa Hat removal?


Personally, as a noob on the list I don't give a hoot one way or the other
what people think about Christmas or any other seasonal holiday.

If someones offended by the easter egg image (thanks for letting me know by
the way) then let them learn how to remove it. Alternately they can seek out
a different video package that fits their needs without offend their
sensibilities. This is a development list, those who are offended can ask
for help to remove the image. If you need instructions on how to remove it
for yourself I'm certain someone will help you. However requesting that the
developers remove it for everyone else, even those who may not celebrate
Christmas but might still find it cute, is rather selfish.

Still not happy then why don't you fork, code, and compete. Who knows you
might be wildly successful.

-- Weave

On Dec 18, 2009, at 10:10 PM, Rob Whelan wrote:

> Again, I would stress that adherence to "Christmas Spirit" assumes a
> cultural bias that one has exposure to the Christian faith, draws joy from
> it and appreciates it as a vital feature of the function of a video
> player/translation package.
>
> None of those things appear to be true in this case.
>
> Your own vehemence to the topic validates my concern that such items
enhance
> the religious and cultural separation that divide the package's users.  I
do
> not position myself as 'anti' anything in simply asking that users be
given
> a cosmetic choice.  This is not a complex issue and is done with many many
> other parts of the software let alone something that is superfluous to its
> function.
>
> This is not a 'feature' that is to be improved over time.  It is a choice
by
> designers to introduce a non functional endorsement for a holiday that is
> not shared by most of the world.
>
> This business of not supporting Moldavian is a little off considering the
> project actively solicits people to act as translators for any language it
> can find.  It would indeed support Moldavian if someone stepped forward to
> include that.  It does not actively solicit artists to create icons for
> Ganesh Chaturthi.
>
> I am not asking for the feature to be removed, only optionally disabled
for
> those who do not adhere to "Christmas Spirit".  Christian holidays are not
> universal despite the fact that some Christians (certainly not all) would
> like them to be.
>
> I am not sure who comprises the 'vast majority' of users as you put it,
but
> I am not at all certain that you are privy to that data.  With a billion
> Chinese plus India, plus the Middle East one might assume those numbers do
> not swing as far towards Europeans or Americans as could be assumed by
> someone who is one.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Pierre Ynard [mailto:linkfanel at yahoo.fr]
> Sent: Friday, December 18, 2009 9:36 PM
> To: vlc-devel at videolan.org
> Cc: rob-jc at charter.net
> Subject: Re: Christian Santa Hat removal?
>
>
> Dear Sir,
>
>> Is there a way to remove or disable the Christian holiday Easter egg?
>> Many users (myself included) are not Christian and feel that this icon
>> is probably not a good idea. We do not see similar Easter eggs for
>> high holidays of other faiths (Ramadan, Kwanzaa, Hanukah, Buddhist
>> and Hindu holidays etc.) and wonder if VLC is positioning itself as
>> 'anti' other faiths since its development team is mostly European and
>> American.
>
> My personal opinion is that the majority of our user base is positively
> receptive to the christmas spirit, and that the majority of those who
> aren't positively receptive, aren't receptive at all, i.e. just don't
> care.
>
> There are many features, formats or even translations that VLC doesn't
> support well either, but the lack of support doesn't mean that VLC
> positions itself against these features, formats or languages. However,
> your request to remove the santa hat makes me wonder if you position
> yourself as anti-christmas and anti-christian.
>
>> It is a shame to make users who have supported the project feel as
>> though they are less valued than other users.
>
> Supporting a software project is usually about improving it and adding
> extra features that will benefit some other users, but not about
> removing features that will bring joy and happiness to many users by
> helping to spread the kindness of the christmas spirit.
>
> Also, VLC doesn't include a translation to the Molvanian language.
> By your logic, in order to be in keeping with good global policy,
> all translations should be stripped, because Molvanian people might
> feel offended and less valued because VLC was translated to other
> languages but not theirs. Well I disagree, and I find this attitude
> displeasing. This is perfectly normal to have translations available for
> some languages only, and there are even good reasons why we wouldn't
> want to feature every language around (e.g. size constraints). So goes
> it for the christmas spirit.
>
> Kind regards,
>
> --
> Pierre Ynard
> "Une âme dans un corps, c'est comme un dessin sur une feuille de papier."
>
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