Linux needs consolidation. Me also highly interested, but no way until different distros will become just a difference in IU not the core. I know hard :)
Linux lovers (me not but I'm ready to switch to) better need to press over distro providers to a shared core to support softwares between distros. If it can happen, nobody will need to ask developers for a Linux version. They will do with pleasure. It can even exceed Windows in manner of software support.
Another option mentioned that is to use development environments which can compile for more distros. I don't know about them but I know one simple issue. If something can compile to different OS's without in need of serious code edit, means high level. Means more resource and low speed. For an office package or music player it may not differ but in a video / image / sound etc. media editor, well it matters.
And some mentions;
Absolutely wrong. Demands never ever finishes.Marketing says, if a product is good, nobody asks for improvements
The good but easy path is to follow demands which concern at least 30% of the clients. Less than it you need to IGNORE.
The best strategy is to follow the demands in the same 30% way but also consider your difference in market in equal importance.
Now many questions arised after that 2 line. Let's clear.
Absolutely wrong? Yes. Watch the software industry, you will see many like pop stars listening ALL demands, responding ALL needs. They rise and become POPular extremely fast. But after about 2 years they start to dropdown until they disappear from market. Because they listen all, try to integrate all and end-up as a BLOATWARE. People start to complain about stability, performance and security issues soon and LEFT IT. This cycle is so typical in the world of newbie developers.
In the other hand, there are software legends remains trough the time. Because they know their position in market and they do protect it.
PS for example. Positions is simple. The best interface / more functions (just to address doesn't mean works good)
Because of that I don't see a competitor can take AVERAGE users from PS. They even resist to integrate at least Lanczos! Even lacking in PNG support! F..king joke but reality. But still they sell. No vector?! No matter they sell. That's why can't take average users from them.
Corel... No. If you will ask me to address something more bloat than PS, I will say Corel. And it's format is also uncompatible with anything else. Closed formats are absolutely bad strategy.
Why I chose PL so?
It is fast, first things first... I'm professional, not doing as a hobby. My time costs and my tools need to be fast. I even can't afford the time PS takes just to open a big file. Big file? Yes big, I'm not photo retoucher. In a high-end PC, PS opens about in a minute, PL opens about in 10 seconds. I even didnt mention about the processing speed to edit / save etc.
Interface of PL
I don't care. If I will be looking for beauty PS is right there appealing. I'm pro my priority is saving time. I know wery well that pretty interfaces are really hard in low level environments. Just that beauty can bloat the software. Sure it can be better without slowing down but need to left Hubers for priorities. I agreee some improvements in need. For me those are better structured menu, no scrolling lists or some tabbed staff. Needs time.
Functions in PL
I guess starting from v2 release it become complete. PL even have specific functions demanded by not 30% even maybe 5%. If you will ask me about funtions, I prefer to keep speed and I can sacrify from some rare needed functions. Me also need many, but I even didn't offer as a feature demand.
Finally, ending up with knowing your position in market.
PL offers an amazing speed and resource usage. Can open and work over several huge files in same time. And a real 64bit support. So, those have a cost. If we are here, means we passed the most beautiful UI expectations. Address for it is different. We passed the open source and multiplatform editor. Their address are also different. And please download some multi platform editors and compare the performance to understand what I mention.
We are not living in alice's wonderland. Every demand comes with a sacrifice as the rule of life. How many of you will sacrify from performance and stability of this compact structure?