This is a comment on open source process as it relates to our current
situation and a reflection on what I have seen recently in online venues.

I really wonder how many developers are going to actually take the time to
research the source code thoroughly enough to be able to use it to answer
their questions. Or to validate ideas and suggestions for improvements. Or
to make changes themselves.

Several recent messages have started out along the lines of "This is an
idea which my be lame but until I have the source available I cannot check
out it's viability..." My question is, do people really think the
availability of the source code is going to help them discern the viability
of a product suggestion? Are they really prepared to do the intense work
necessary to research the source code? How long do they think that will take?

I look forward to reviewing the source code for the sheer pleasure of it.
(Mostly because I never thought I'd ever see such a thing.) However, I
don't expect to understand it well enough in any reasonable time frame to
be able to have it answer questions I have, let alone for me to offer
suggested changes. Unless it is documented in some magical way which is
orders of magnitude clearer than any other source I've looked at, it will
take a long to time learn!

(Sorry, folks, I just had to share that dose of reality.)