TXLF: HeliOS helps schoolkids and challenges developers

Sad but true - very few developers are willing to devote their precious free time to something that doesn't interest them. So if free software is to become more user oriented, it will probably have to involve finding ways of making that task more interesting for the developers. On the face of it it doesn't sound like a hopeless task, as I am sure that most people get a tickle of pleasure from seeing their brainchild in use. Perhaps people wanting to promote free software uptake should work on teaching users to interact with developers in constructive ways. Users complaining and demanding things is very off-putting, but users who are clearly appreciative and also willing to think about a problem and what they can do themselves to help solve it can be very encouraging. Nothing is for free, and if you aren't paying money for the software you should expect to invest in some other way.

Perhaps in the case of five year old children it is their mentors who should be targeted - or then again, perhaps not just them!