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On caring for user data: NeoVim caused Vim undo files to be deleted

384 points · 346 comments · jandeboevrie

  1. recursivedoubts · · focus · HN ↗
    They are open source developers, giving away free software as a gift. There is no duty here.

    We can speak, respectfully, of how important backwards compatibility is to us, and ask nicely for them to give more of their time to support it when their free sodftware isn't backwards compatible. Perhaps we can even offer to help implement it.

    But they have no duty to do so or to "care" for their users. (They have already demonstrated they care for their users, btw, by giving them free software.)

    EDIT: I missed an important part of the story, which is that they mutated existing files in a non-backwards compatible manner. That should have been avoided, I understand where the (secondary) author is coming from now.

    1. bsoqk · · focus · HN ↗
      If I give away food I have a duty not to poison you. It doesn’t matter you didn’t pay for it.
      1. Grombobulous · · focus · HN ↗
        Software isn’t food.
        1. bsoqk · · focus · HN ↗
          You must feel clever completely missing the point on purpose like that.
          1. InsideOutSanta · · focus · HN ↗
            "Your analogy is false because the two things you are comparing are not literally the same, dear sir!" is such a classic Internet discussion trope that it must have a name. If it doesn't, can I please name it? Maybe Perfect Analogy Fallacy?
            1. Grombobulous · · focus · HN ↗
              But they couldn’t be further from different. You have to have a health inspector visit your kitchen just to sell food at all. You need affirmative permission from the government to sell food.
              1. InsideOutSanta · · focus · HN ↗
                The original analogy was not about selling food:

                > If I give away food I have a duty not to poison you. It doesn’t matter you didn’t pay for it.

                If I invite you to eat at my house, there is no health inspector and no government. I'm just giving you free food. Would you agree that I have a duty not to poison you in that case?

                1. [deleted] · · focus · HN ↗

                  [deleted]

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