Mmastodon first seen 1 d ago, last 2 h ago, peak #5
Developer pays people to test his README instructions
Original: I paid people to try and follow my README
Developer Terence Eden hired people to try installing his project using only its README, exposing how badly software documentation usually fails. He argues that open source projects routinely ship poor documentation — outdated notes and abandoned forums — instead of clear instructions, and tested his own by paying real users to follow it cold.
Why now: It resonates with developers who recognise how often project documentation fails real users, sparking debate on Hacker News and Mastodon.
Rank over time, top of the chart is #1. 125 snapshots from 1 d ago to 2 h ago.
Evidence
- I paid people to try and follow my README · Terence Eden’s Blog
Developers suck at writing documentation. We like to say RTFM but often there ain't no FM to R. At best we have a half-arsed collection of notes, some obsolete tips, and a link to a desolate forum full of people asking the same questions again and again. That's no way to treat…
Elsewhere
API: https://socialmediatrends-api.osmike.com/v1/trends/1856839