The Tilix terminal app is a tiling terminal emulator loved by many on the Linux desktop — but is the future of the app in doubt?
Tilix’s current developer, Gerald ‘gnunn1’ Nunn, says he’d prefer to spend more time working on other things that interest him.
Adding more features to an app he considers complete for his needs — most software starts out as a developer scratching their own itch — is becoming more of a chore rather than an exercise in passion.
So, he’s on the hunt for a new maintainer for Tilux. Explaining the situation further in an issue on the Tilix Github page, he writes:
“Activity on tilix has dwindled over the last year or so. From my perspective it does everything I need in a terminal emulator (well more actually) and I have little interest in adding features or even fixing bugs in features I don’t use.”
“With new energy I think there are some interesting directions Tilix could go so hopefully someone will be up to taking it on.”
“There are more projects in need of devs than there are devs to work on them.”
You don’t need to be a long-time Linux user to know that there are more projects in need of devs than there are devs, maintainers and contributors to work on them.
Even the most successful and popular free software available only have a small, dedicated developer team behind them.
Fact is, people working for passion tend to work where their passion lies, or where their skills can be expanded and sharpened. And often, that’s not on well established, mature products where radical changes aren’t possible.
But Tilix needing a new maintainer does not mean it’s the end of the app.
Free software doesn’t die when developers abandon it, and good software doesn’t stop working if they do, either.
Nunn states that Tilix is a tool he uses daily and, as such, “will likely continue to put in the minimum effort to keep it working” in the near future.
But if you’re interested in contributing the app, which is primarily written in the D (dlang) programming language, don’t be backwards in coming forwards.
A lot of Linux users would appreciate it.
Never tried Tilix? Sort it out! The app is available to install from the Ubuntu Software app on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS and above:
Thanks David