Standards / Add-ons / Plug-ins rather than Features
It seems to be hard to stop adding new features ones software project accomplishes anough success to susstain. Personaly I think that sometimes integration is needed since FLOSS (FreeSoftware/Libre/OpenSource) software is so hard to standardise and to sync (dependencies and upgrades tend to break stuf often if not always).
The good question would not be "To or NotTo add features?", but "When to stop adding features and when to start integrating?"...
Personaly I think that
- it should add integrated Features:
- if project has a good developer base and small user base
- if it misses a lot of functionalities that are requested
- if there isn't any usable and pluggable code around
- if it is inovative features that demand special and controlled environment
- it should relay on Standards / Add-ons / Plug-ins:
- if it is developed by a handfull of non-professional developers
- if it has a big userbase (that could have trouble, of hate the hastle of upgrading)
- if there is a good and mature code around that can be reused