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How FOSS Won and Why It Matters
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this post was submitted on 16 Jan 2026
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Programming
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Yes go and write them is the usual response to these and I understand the sentiment. But also one can’t rewrite many many complex apps by themselves. I understand people wanting to do whatever they want sure. My point is it wouldn’t be an issue as much if there wasn’t as much fragmentation. If it was easy to write for both qt and gtk at once then people wouldn’t have to complain about one or the other all the time. In order to have an actual change it has to happen as a community not as an individual. It’s great that people can write stuff in whatever they want, I like being able to try out different frameworks. But sometimes unification across the desktop is something some people want. I don’t think you can just invalidate what I’m saying with the just go write it then. It’s not like I’m going to devs GitHub’s and raising issues saying “write this in gtk right now!!!” And for the record I have the same problems with proprietary software too. I don’t use windows really except for work but it looks like dogshit and a cobbled together mess.
Well, ressources are limited. Especially the amount of stuff other people will do for free in their free time.
Specifically with this, I don't see the issue. Qt apps run fine under GNOME and vice versa.
Yeah but these same people are not going to do anything about it.
In theory, it would be nice to get some solid public funding for making desktop apps more accessible. With our rapidly aging population in Japan or large parts of Europe, that would absolutely make sense. But I don't see the job offers for SW engineers to do that.
Well, I get that you want that.
But who should do that? On whoms time? With which money? Or for free?
Even things like the real time Linux project, which is extremely relevant for industry (including defense) is not funded in any sensible way.
Myself, I am an expert in signal processing and renewable energy topics. It is extremely relevant for energetic independence of Europe, and climate protection. That's not funded either. What is funded instead are "audio sound design" for combustion engine cars (that is, artificial simulation of engine noise). And this is bad politics - not something FOSS developers can solve by putting in more work for free.
Now there are wishes that "open source developers" put more (free) work into software security. Who exactly should do that?
I think most desktop stuff like KDE is done by people in their free time. They already do great work, including in the domain of UI. The negativity you transpire is unwarranted. These people do A LOT.
These people have a life outside programning, other responsibilities, and other things to do. Complaining about them not doing even more work will not motivate them.
The issue is that qt looks out of place on gnome and vice versa for gtk. You don’t see the issue because you don’t care about ui consistency as much as i do. That’s totally fine. We’re different people with different opinions. That’s the great part about open source. Yes I understand these people have lives outside programming, I do as well. I’m appreciative of the work that people do on many of the big projects and tools that I use. But that’s not going to stop me from wanting or hoping that things will get better. I of course would like to have more designers involved in more open source projects. Also in regard to funding where do you think it’s gonna come from? If people don’t want stuff like a way to develop for multiple frameworks then why would there ever be funding? The only way to get stuff is for a lot of people to want something and to work towards it. Me advocating for this has nothing to do with “demoralizing developers.” Again I’m not going to those devs and saying “rewrite this” I’m simply advocating for things that I think would be beneficial. There’s no reason I can’t do that. I’m not sure why you’re trying to gate-keep my opinion behind “how dare you not be thankful, go and write it yourself!” We can disagree about how much we think it’s important but I’m still going to have my opinion.