[openthc]

We create open-source software and attempt to get government agencies to adopt/use it. It's crazy how alergic these agencies are to open-source. Some will even create their own, with legacy style implementations (csv uploads, broken parsers), complete with bugs/flaws that are predicatble rather than use someone elses code.

When responding to RFPs, the open-source stuff has an a higher level of scrutinty than the closed systems. Like, if it's open then you have to show it's good but if it's closed the vendor just says "yep, we are perfect" and the agency could move on. It feels like the agency, and the employees don't want any responsibility. But I've never seen anyone lose their government job from some incompetence.

[georgeplusplus]

>>>It's crazy how allergic these agencies are to open-source.

It’s about job protectionism on the greater scale and being the subject matter expert who leverages his code base for promotions on the individual scale. generally agencies do not view each other as working for the same team. It can be very competitive when lobbying for resources from congress for your agency.

I work in gov and speaking from first hand knowledge. The culture is toxic. It’s broken and I can’t wait to see what changes Elon and trumps team propose.

[taskforcegemini]

hopefully a different approach than with twitter

[stronglikedan]

You can't hold anyone accountable for open source. With closed source, there's someone else to point the finger at when things go wrong.

[doublepg23]

I heard this a lot before I started my career but IME this rarely pans out and you’re just stuck with broken software without documentation and source code.

[immibis]

Whether the software works is irrelevant, as long as there's something to blame for it not working.

Engineers tend to assume the end goal is working software, but this is rarely actually the case.

[doublepg23]

No I'm saying the company goes out of business or just tells you to pound sand because X product isn't supported now. You have a grace period of a few years.

[immibis]

And I'M saying YOUR company doesn't care that it doesn't work, because they still have a way to absolve responsibility for it not working: blame the vendor who went out of business.

[englishspot]

yep. usually the original architect moves on to another project before things get really bad. and then all that's left is the bag-holder (me).