Re: Forge Software Evaluation by FSF

[David Kastrup]

Jonas Hahnfeld <address@hidden> writes:

> Hi all,
>
> I was meaning to write on the next steps of switching to new tooling
> when I came across this:
> https://lwn.net/Articles/813254/rss
> https://www.fsf.org/blogs/sysadmin/coming-soon-a-new-site-for-fully-free-collaboration
> https://libreplanet.org/wiki/Fsf_2019_forge_evaluation
>
> In particular the last page claims with respect to GitLab:
> "GNU ethical repo criteria: gitlab.com listed as C, but has been
> operating at an F and will be reclassified soon because it sometimes
> requires users to run nonfree Google ReCAPTCHA code they have been very
> slowly working on moving away from for almost 2 years now [...]"
>
> What do people think about this? Is that serious enough to stop
> considering GitLab?
>
> Note that Gerrit is not on the list (probably because it's not a
> complete forge software, ie no issues?), so I can't comment on how it
> compares with respect to freedom.
>
> Let me see if I can get more information on when they plan to bring the
> hosting platform online.

We don't have a whole lot of viable alternatives at the moment.  And we
have the problem that LilyPond is pretty large (even discounting the CI
thing) for being a well-beloved free-tier customer.

Being supported by the FSF certainly would solve some worries (not
likely CI) but they are not exactly bristling in manpower either.

So it would be interesting in several respects what the FSF is planning
to do and support, and how viable for a big project what they are
thinking about could be.

The FSF has in recent months been hit heavily by Richard Stallman
stepping back as president of the FSF and the FSF having to more
formally redefine their manner of providing support for the GNU project.
That may have affected the speed with which they are progressing with
that project.

At any rate, there is nothing wrong with trying to get more information
for arriving at a decision, so it would be great for you to figure out
what the current plans regarding project hosting are.

Thanks!

-- 
David Kastrup
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