This is a thing that happens in tech, especially open source…
Tech is always slowly improving, but some things still suck,
especially in open source. Barring some kind of hideous uber-GDPR that requires
every coder to be licensed and bonded, it will be figured out eventually.
The problem is that fixing things is a major project. One person can't fix them all. And what we have right now… is kind of good enough.
In the FOSS scene there's this idea that proprietary is pure evil, that might lead someone to look for, or build, a FOSS alternative to every last bit of code.
Unfortunately, that just results in splitting your effort and adding to the existing heap of soon-to-be-abandoned proofs of concept.
Previously I wrote about my theory of decustomization and gave some thoughts on this, but I think I've noticed a new motive for all of this:
The hurry.
I just installed Obsidian Notes, because it's got offline sync. I'm not a fan of the fact that it's closed. But so what? It doesn't affect me. When a FOSS alternative comes out, the cost to switch will be low. In fact, technically I already can just open the files with a text editor.
Vivaldi and Chrome are closed. Brave is more open. But…. I don't like Brave's choices all that much. And it's not like it creates significant lock-in, aside from
a few Chrome specific web platform features, but even that is more of a lock-out than a lock-in, as Mozilla and Brave explicitly reject them, and they are available in the FOSS chromium.
Eventually we will get a really good FOSS browser. Eventually we will get an amazing FOSS note taking solution. And I won't be able to build *anything* as effectively if I spend my time fussing with half baked toy apps and missing features.
Programmers often say “YAGNI”, for “You Aren't Gonna Need It”. But I don't believe it. More accurate would be “You don't need that right now”.
Plan for it if possible. But there's no reason to build it, or make a switch, till you are ready to devote the time it deserves, or you have a legitimate need for it.
It's always going to be easier to do later, when the tech improves.