[rleigh]

This very much depends upon the project. Being open source doesn't imply an open development process. It's very frustrating when people ignore contributions.

On the other hand, some contributions can be very expensive to integrate. If they require extensive review of the design, the code and then testing, it's imposing a huge burden on the other party. Clearly, this doesn't apply to trivial bugfixes the same way it applies to feature additions and wide-ranging refactoring, but it's important not to forget the costs which have to be borne.

It's always a pleasure to contribute to a project which has thought about this, and actually dedicates resources for external code review and integration, and actively fosters a strong and loyal community around it. It encourages repeat contributions and deeper participation, and is genuinely of mutual benefit. But not all projects can afford to do this, particularly smaller ones where a single person has to forego their evening to look at your stuff.