Paul posted about TopDesk a couple of times, pointing out an incompatibility with one of his favourite applications. The conversation was a bit strained at times as we each tried to get our individual points across, but at least it was a conversation.
Today, Paul posted this article blasting TopDesk. Some of his claims are legitimate: in a specific situation, it is incompatible with the application he uses. The other claims are what I consider to be pure rant, but that’s not what bothers me. What bothers me is that this is the first time I’ve heard of them.
Like most relationships, user/developer relationships are all about communications. Users benefit by having their problems resolved quickly, and developers benefit from having happy users.
We’re lucky nowadays that email, blogs, and forums make communication easy. If you have a problem, please don’t sit and stew over it. If you have the time to post on your blog about how much you hate a piece of software, then you have the time to contact the developer directly first . After all, if we’re not aware of the problems you’re experiencing, how can we help?
Whether it’s positive or negative, user feedback is one of the major benefits I derive from running Otaku Software. It’s great to know that people find your work useful, and that it makes a difference (however microscopic) to their lives. So whether you have a problem, a feature suggestion, or just want to say hello, feel free to drop me a line at any time.
As a software developer, I have had many different user “experiences” Some people will send you an Excel worksheet full of changes that they need along with a priority, and others may send a one time email and that is the last you hear of them. Unfortunately, sometimes the squeeky wheel gets the oil and the non-complaining users get lost in the shuffle. You think to yourself, “Well, they aren’t complaining, so it must be working.” In reality, their requirement could be eating at them on a daily basis. I, however, don’t recall ever having someone NEVER call me about a problem and then report on it somewhere else. It is an interesting and unfortunate situation because now you find yourself having to fight negative propaganda, which is never fun.