Did you realize?

• Good user documentation saves time and headaches providing user support: you get more users, you make them happy.
• Good developer documentation saves time and headaches hacking on all the bugs & features users request: you are not alone anymore.
• Good web content multiplies the success of having good documentation.
• Good marketing and good press materials multiply the success of having good web content.

Now, why is it so easy to find (good) free software with poor/none documentation, poor/none web content, poor/none marketing and press materials?

A hypothesis:

Free software projects are generally ruled by people strong in machine language AND/OR business language. Both languages are mathematical, friendly to each other.

Natural language is psychological and humans use it all the time. Perhaps this is why many projects don't pay much attention to it while dealing with code and spreadsheets.

Still, many mathematical minds end up writing texts themselves, generally under boredom or last minute effect. Chances of success: almost as many as psychological minds getting into programming or planning in a rush or against their will.

An advice:

Don't write texts if writing makes you feel bored or worried. Invest your time finding contributors or hiring professionals excited about natural language. Consider them as valuable as you. They are your best gateway to the users, a key for success.

Important: give the writers the power to explain your software as they wish. Respect them. Love them. They can give you so much in return.