Microsoft employee:

Hi, This is a high priority ticket and the FFmpeg version is currently used in a highly visible product in Microsoft. We have customers experience issues with Caption during Teams Live Event. Please help

Maintainer’s comment on twitter:

After politely requesting a support contract from Microsoft for long term maintenance, they offered a one-time payment of a few thousand dollars instead.

This is unacceptable.

And further:

The lesson from the xz fiasco is that investments in maintenance and sustainability are unsexy and probably won’t get a middle manager their promotion but pay off a thousandfold over many years.

But try selling that to a bean counter

  • lysdexic@programming.devEnglish
    326·
    8 months ago

    Imagine if you gave away some old clothes to some Charity and they called you and said “Some of the socks have holes in them and we need you to come over here and fix those holes ASAP because we want to sell them in our used clothes store”. What would be your reaction to that?

    I think your hypothetical scenario doesn’t match the issue being discussed in a few key aspects.

    You’re giving old clothes with no expectation of return. Why then get pissed because someone is using your clothes without paying you for them?

    Then,if you make it your point to put up a system for everyone to file tickets pointing problems with the clothes you’re giving away, why are you whining that the system is being used as it was designed to be used?

    It’s perfectly fine if you feel the need to prioritize your work based on your criteria alone, and anyone else’s input is at most a suggestion. That’s what everyone expects of it, too. But don’t throw a tantrum when someone uses your work precisely as you told the world to use it.

    • bane_killgrindEnglish
      112·
      8 months ago

      I don’t think you are able to grok the actual issue, which is a big corp demanding free work, then demanding a pittance to complete the work, then being buthurt when people refuse to work with them.

      • AA5B@lemmy.world
        13·
        8 months ago

        So is the real analogy …

        You gave some old clothes to charity, expecting nothing back. However you spotted a lawyer wearing your old clothes so walked up and demanded money?

        • bane_killgrindEnglish
          3·
          8 months ago

          No no no lawyer came knocking at my door begging me to darn a sock

          • AA5B@lemmy.world
            11·
            8 months ago

            And of course you said “sorry but I can’t do that right now” and went on with your life , rather than jumping down his throat, then holding a grudge for 11 months?

            • bane_killgrindEnglish
              1·
              8 months ago

              If the dude was so tone deaf and myopic I’d post a bad review on yelp

    • Aceticon@lemmy.world
      113·
      8 months ago

      The point of my comment seems to have missed you, turned around and done another pass and missed you again.