[GNC-dev] GnuCash and Github

[Derek Atkins]

Hi,

What are the features of github that we use/depend on?

- We don't use github's git repo except as a read-only version -- we COULD
open up code for RO access.

- We don't use github issues; we have our own bugzilla.

- We DO use github pull requests; we could theoretically migrate to gerrit
for review/management.

- We DO use github actions; we could theoretically migrate to Jenkins
(with gerrit) for build/test/CI work.

Am I missing anything?

Having said that, and admitting I did not follow the link and read the
complaints, what is the fear with their "use" of GnuCash?

-derek

On Sun, November 13, 2022 9:48 am, Geert Janssens wrote:
> Some may have heard the rumblings around github semi-recently. The
> software
> conservancy is calling free software projects to seek alternatives. They
> motivate this in much
> more detail over here:
> https://sfconservancy.org/GiveUpGitHub/[1]
>
> In short, they claim github is a proprietary tool that's leveraging the
> hosted free software for
> their commercial purposes. In itself that would be acceptable as long as
> it's done according
> to the licenses of these free software projects. There have been several
> situations where
> that's not the case, "copilot" being the latest and most worry-some.
>
> Is this something we as a free software project should think about and
> possibly act on ?
>
> Personally I don't like it at all that I chose to write code under a free
> software license to
> ensure my effort helps and benefits the free software ecosystem. Yet that
> a commercial
> company then decides to use my code to train an AI that's meant to help
> build proprietary
> software. The legal status of that is still very unclear and certainly not
> what I intended my
> code to be used for.
>
> That is obviously only my personal opinion, but I wanted to express it as
> starting point for a
> wider discussion on this topic.
>
> Is the golden cage that is github to developers really becoming
> detrimental to real free
> software principles ?
>
> Should we do something about this ? Once hooked into the github ecosystem
> it's pretty hard
> to leave, as the sfc also acknowledges. They do offer initial suggestions
> for alternatives, but
> they are not at the same level as github currently.
>
> Please share your views on this topic as well.
>
> Regards,
>
> Geert
>
> --------
> [1] https://sfconservancy.org/GiveUpGitHub/
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>


-- 
       Derek Atkins                 617-623-3745
       derek at ihtfp.com             www.ihtfp.com
       Computer and Internet Security Consultant