Re: Debian and Non-Free Services
On Thu, Sep 12, 2019 at 01:30:24PM -0400, Sam Hartman wrote:
>
> 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.
Thanks.
>
> [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.
That applies to any tool, also free ones.
> This includes proprietary
> web services.
And free 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.
Then maintainers could remove them as a workaround.
>
> 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.
Our upstreams are free to use what they want.
Note that salsa.d.o is a legal risk. When a contributor uploads
non-distributable software, then Debian is in fact redistributing it
immediately. Should we promote Github? :-)
Cheers,
Bart
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