RE: [tlug] "Open source: Made in Japan?" blog

["Zuco Pietro" <pietro.zuco@example.com>]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: tlug-bounces@example.com [mailto:tlug-bounces@example.com On Behalf Of
Edward
> Middleton
> I don't know,  my experience has been that Japanese developers have
more
> problems engaging with projects outside Japan but they have a strong
> interest in learning from outside development.  I think this is mostly
a
> result of an emphasis in the Japanese education system on reading
rather
> then communicating in English.  I know a lot of Japanese who can read
> and understand fairly technical English text but would not be
confident
> to discuss or explain them in written or spoken English.  I also find
a
> lot of Japanese can't skim English text and pull out the salient
facts.

It's a matter of culture. The problem is that OSS development is a
social process even it's made through email or any non-human-direct
contact.
Western culture communicates directly. We go through what we want to say
and give opinions directly. Like "I don't like this solution", "I hate
Budweiser", "I prefer this or that" and so forth. For Japanese the same
process is made in an indirect way. There are so many aspect of
communication, like words, used kanji, time to respond, that try to
translate it in English is a really hard job that not all people can.

Plus, usually Japanese people are afraid to talk in English because
there is a kind of obsession to avoid mistakes or misunderstandings.

So as Curt said the Japan contribution to NetBSD was huge but it rest in
some way in the shadow and the image that is perceived by westerners is
that they do not participate.

It's our fault and their fault. Our fault because we usually tend to
think that if someone don't communicate in the way we are suppose to do
that means he/her is not interested to and their fault because only in
case they feel 100% ready to communicate without almost any possibility
to mistake, they don't say a word.

Anyway this maybe is going to change in the future.
Communication is becoming more standardized and cultural rich I think.

Cheers

Pietro