Open source's lessons from userspace

"Where is the Open Source Usability Experts Group? When you've got your database specialist, your glue logic guy and your OS expert together, where's the person who knows how real non-technical people react to software design? There are innovations begging to be made here through the cross-pollination of usability and software engineering, but open source is dominated by the hacker mentality to the extent that it is often a matter of pride to create a new interface purely to be different. Yet open source should attract better thinkers and provide better channels for them to communicate ideas that can harness the experiences and intelligence of all concerned, instead of creating bland, me-too products." (Via ZDNet UK)