Debian and Non-Free Services

[Sam Hartman <hartmans@debian.org>]

I'm trying to move a thread from -devel.

Ian Jackson responded [1] to part of a consensus discussion on Git
  recommendations.  I had said that I think we recommend against the use
  of non-free services like Github but do not forbid their use.
  Ian disagreed with this recommendation.

I responded [2] noting that around 7% of the packages with a vcs-git in
  unstable are hosted on Github.

Ian said [3] that he was confident if we had a GR to forbid use of services
  like Github it would pass.

He proposed the following text for such a GR.

I think such a discussion is better on -project.

  [1]:
  https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/23927.51367.848949.15475@chiark.greenend.org.uk
  [2]: https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/tslwoedy93e.fsf_-_@suchdamage.org
  [3]:
  https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/23930.17192.131171.455527@chiark.greenend.org.uk
  
  
  Subject: Free Software Needs Free Tools

  No Debian contributor should be expected or encouraged, when working
  to improve Debian, to use non-free tools.  This includes proprietary
  web services.  We will ensure this, insofar as it is within Debian's
  collective control.

  For example, Vcs-Git fields in source packages must not refer to
  proprietary git code management systems.  Non-Debian services are
  acceptable here so long as they are principally Free Software.

  We encourage all our upstreams to use Free/Libre tools.

  We recognise that metadata in Debian which describes the behaviour
  of those outside our community, for example fields which refer to
  upstream source management systems, may (in order to be accurate)
  still need to refer to proprietary systems.