# HG changeset patch # User Kai T. Ohlhus # Date 1594186984 -32400 # Node ID c8dba4c0fd047054e0185b6377a9f01e580f3300 # Parent 5de7c361bcaa56363f8041e67b2f050c635debcb * support-expectations: Overhaul page. diff -r 5de7c361bcaa -r c8dba4c0fd04 support-expectations.md --- a/support-expectations.md Wed Jul 08 14:33:28 2020 +0900 +++ b/support-expectations.md Wed Jul 08 14:43:04 2020 +0900 @@ -4,94 +4,108 @@ menu: false --- -Octave is a capable free software system for numerical computing -developed primarily by a community of volunteers. As good as it -is, there are certainly some flaws and a lot of room for -improvement. Most people who use Octave understand these things -and know that if they work together with the community bugs will -be fixed, features will be added, and Octave will improve over -time. Working with people who have this kind of attitude is fun -and rewarding. +Octave is a capable free software system for numerical computing developed +primarily by a community of **volunteers**. +As good as Octave is, +there are certainly some flaws and a lot of room for improvement. +Most people who use Octave understand these things +and know that if they work together with the community bugs will be fixed, +features will be added, +and Octave will improve over time. +Working with people who have this kind of attitude is fun and rewarding. -Unfortunately, there are a few people who behave as though the -community owes them support as well as a 100% Matlab compatible -system, all at zero cost. It shouldn't really be necessary, but -we'll say it anyway: working with these people is no fun. If you -approach the Octave community this way, you are sure to be -disappointed. You should also not be surprised when your requests -for help are ignored. +Unfortunately, +there are a few people who behave as though the community owes them support as +well as a 100% Matlab compatible system, +all at zero cost. +**Working with these people is no fun.** +If you approach the Octave community this way, +you are sure to be disappointed. +You should also not be surprised when your requests for help are ignored. # Development Group -People sometimes think that Octave is developed by some large team -of well-paid programmers. Nothing could be further from the truth. -Most of the initial development of Octave was done by one person -over several years. Since then, there have been at most a half-dozen -or so volunteers working on Octave at any one time. +People sometimes think that Octave is developed by some large team of well-paid +programmers. +Nothing could be further from the truth. +Most of the initial development of Octave was done by one person over several +years. +Since then, +there have been at most a half-dozen or so volunteers working on Octave +at any one time. You can see who has done most of the work by looking through the -[development history][1] (prior to February 2008 it is best to look -in the old `ChangeLog` files). Currently, none of the Octave developers -are paid to work on Octave directly. +[development history](https://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave) +(prior to February 2008 it is best to look in the old `ChangeLog` files). +Currently, +none of the Octave developers are paid to work on Octave directly. -If you would like to see Octave moving forward more quickly, then -contribute to its development, either by working on the project -yourself, or by donating funds. With sufficient funding, we would -be able to pay a few developers to work on Octave full time. - -[1]: https://hg.savannah.gnu.org/hgweb/octave +If you would like to see Octave moving forward more quickly, +then contribute to its development, +either by working on the project yourself, +or by [donating funds]({{ "donation.html | relative_url }}). +With sufficient funding, +the Octave project would be able to pay a few developers to work on it full +time. # Help -When asking for help on the mailing list or IRC channel, -or reporting a bug, remember that the people helping you -are Octave users just like you who are volunteering their time. -They are not paid support staff. Use meaningful subject lines. -Try to ask clear questions. Be precise about the problems you are having. +When asking for help on Discourse or IRC channel, +or reporting a bug, +remember that the people helping you are Octave users just like you +who are volunteering their time. +They are not paid support staff. +Use meaningful subject lines. +Try to ask clear questions. +Be precise about the problems you are having. # Bugs -No software is perfect, and Octave is no exception. +No software is perfect, +and Octave is no exception. You can search the list of bug reports to see what problems have been reported. -In looking at the list, you might also noticed the number of problems that -have been *fixed*. +In looking at the list, +you might also noticed the number of problems that have been *fixed*. Nearly all of these problems have been fixed by volunteers. -If you find a problem, you are encouraged to [report it][2]. -Your report can help to improve Octave, but you should not think of the bug -tracker as your personal support line. +If you find a problem, +you are encouraged to [report it]({{ "bugs.html" | relative_url }}). +Your report can help to improve Octave, +but you should not think of the bug tracker as your personal support line. -If you depend on Octave and absolutely must have prompt responses -to problem reports, you should consider paying -for [commercial support][3]. - -[2]: {{ "bugs.html" | relative_url }} -[3]: {{ "commercial-support.html" | relative_url }} +If you depend on Octave and absolutely must have prompt responses to problem +reports, +you should consider paying for +[commercial support]({{ "commercial-support.html" | relative_url }}). # Features When we say that Octave is "mostly compatible" with Matlab, -we mean that the language that it accepts is similar enough that a -substantial amount of code written for Matlab can also run in -Octave without needing to be changed. But Octave does not have -all the features of Matlab, and it is unlikely that it ever will. -Given that Matlab is developed in secret and Octave developers -only find out about new Matlab features when new versions of -Matlab are released, it is clearly impossible for Octave to have -new Matlab features as soon as they are available in Matlab. +we mean that the language that it accepts is similar enough that a substantial +amount of code written for Matlab can also run in Octave without needing to be +changed. +But Octave does not have all the features of Matlab, +and it is unlikely that it ever will. +Given that Matlab is developed in secret and Octave developers only find out +about new Matlab features when new versions of Matlab are released, +it is clearly impossible for Octave to have new Matlab features as soon as they +are available in Matlab. - -In most cases, Octave has the features that it does because -someone decided to add them because they needed them. If you have -the programming skills perhaps you can add the features you need. -If you not, then consider paying for someone to implement the -feature for you. Most people who provide [commercial support][3] +In most cases, +Octave has the features that it does because someone decided to add them +because they needed them. +If you have the programming skills perhaps you can add the features you need. +If you not, +then consider paying for someone to implement the feature for you. +Most people who provide +[commercial support]({{ "commercial-support.html" | relative_url }}) services for Octave will also take on custom programming projects. -Even if you don't have the expertise required to implement new -features or can't pay for someone to do the work for you, you may -submit feature requests to the bug tracker. But you should -understand that unless you are paying for someone to to add the -feature, no one is obligated to do it for you. +Even if you don't have the expertise required to implement new features or +can't pay for someone to do the work for you, +you may submit feature requests to the bug tracker. +But you should understand that unless you are paying for someone to to add the +feature, +no one is obligated to do it for you.