this post was submitted on 20 Jun 2025
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Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Not surprised that OOP knows better what users need than the users. That's pretty much the whole concept of "opinionated" GNOME.
GNOME isn't even accessible to non-disabled users.
I don't think they're saying they know better. Seems more like they're tired of pouring hundreds of hours of free labor specifically into accessibility only to hear people bitch about how they're not doing enough when the people bitching probably don't even genuinely care beyond using it as a way to bash GNOME.
To which your response is to take the opportunity to talk shit about GNOME and disregard his meaning, which kinda illustrates his point.
Two things can be true at the same time:
And GNOME is not alone with that problem, it's prevalent in the large majority of apps and platforms, because accessibility is really hard especially if you don't have a tester with the specifically accessibility need on staff.
OOP says they have a legally blind and a semi-blind person on staff, but that's by far not the only accessibility issue. Accessibility is much more than just screen reader support.
A big one is learning difficulties, and for that, having an UI that can be used the way the user wants/expects/knows how to is very important. And here, the very concept of an opinionated DE contradicts accessibility.
The measurement of success isn't the hours put into it. I will continue to bash Gnome because no matter how much hours the devs put and no matter how much they believe they know better, their products sucks all kinds of balls, and that kind of it. I don't have any underlying agenda or double meaning behind it. The product is shit. You made a lot of effort and put a lot of labour in it. This, unfortunately, means you put a lot of labour into shit.
Do you have to dunk on something just because it's decidedly not for you? There are, in fact, many avid GNOME users who've tried Plasma or other DEs, including Linus Torvalds.
Everyone entitled to their opinion and their taste, and usually I am not this adamant about my personal preferences. I am just agitated by that notion some people for some reason have, that you're not allowed to criticize stuff if it's free and people totally work hard on it you guys. Pouring river water into your socks is free and requires effort, it doesn't make it good or immune to criticism.
You’re not criticizing. You’re saying “no matter how much people try to improve this, this will always be objectively worthless, because this is objectively worthless”. Nobody said you’re not allowed to criticize GNOME. Criticism includes specific directions to improve on and does not involve neglecting the size of the userbase to claim your personal preferences extend to objective truth.
That's not what I'm saying, not at all, it's sad you read it this way.
I'm saying that GNOME sucks balls right now, and the nobody can't just say "but the developers are working really hard", or "a bunch of people actually use it" and make it all suddenly go away. I'm not going to repeat all the specific points on why exactly it sucks, it's not what the discussion is about, it's not what my comment is about, and it's not the what only available criticism is.
That's not what anyone's saying either. AHemlocksLie said the article—instead of saying "we know better what the users want"—expresses frustration at caring and working a ton at (blind) accessibility only for people to say GNOME devs don't care about (blind) accessibility; nowhere did they say that makes GNOME accessibility good. In the context of us understanding what AHemlocksLie said, I think it's not aberating that we interpreted your reply the way we did.
squaresinger said what you think you said in their last reply. Look at the positive response to them.
And my point is, you only get recognition if you succeed. You do get mangled star with "you tried" misspelled on it if you didn't, of course, but also you get harsh comments like mine.
Congrats, you know how to dislike something and blame others for your dislike! You're on your way to True Narcissism! 💫
Remember kids, if someone doesn't like the shit you like, it's actually because they're narcissistic actually.
it's not the dislike, it's that you frame it as though your distaste were the truth, as opposed to framing it as an opinion.
Even external and blind reviewers like Fireborn said GNOME was the only working option on Wayland.