86
submitted 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) by pemptago@lemmy.ml to c/opensource@lemmy.ml

Then gets defensive when they say yes.

top 22 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[-] pemptago@lemmy.ml 34 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I use and donate[d] to OrganicMaps. I think they're great, but I paused donations around the CoMaps split and have been waiting for the dust to settle. Their responses in the fosstodon thread seem so tone def: They're asking about github on a mastodon instance and responding that it'll be a worse product if they move. Thinking it's time I give CoMaps a shot. [edit: add 2nd link for context]

[-] paequ2@lemmy.today 25 points 2 weeks ago

Oooh, didn't realize CoMaps was on Codeberg. https://codeberg.org/comaps/comaps

[-] themurphy@lemmy.ml 13 points 2 weeks ago

How is it a worse product if they move?

[-] pemptago@lemmy.ml 14 points 2 weeks ago

They seem to think github's PR, CI, etc features are head-and-shoulders above the rest, and are hand-waving concerns around vender lock-in. They're also saying it would be painful to move because of the aforementioned vendor features that have them locked in. Really seems to miss why many go FOSS in the first place.

[-] vk6flab@lemmy.radio 33 points 2 weeks ago

I'm a software developer with over 40 years experience. Much of it with FOSS.

Your argument in relation to GitHub does not take in the reality of the effort involved with migrating to a different platform, effort that is likely unpaid, has no logistical upside and stalls the development efforts of a project, not to mention breaking every single source code repository link across the wider internet, links that represent publicity and community engagement.

It's one thing migrating after a service vanishes, it's an entirely different thing to migrate due to the philosophical differences perceived by the ownership change to Microsoft. In my opinion, chanting FOSS is insufficient as an argument.

I have several projects and clients that use GitHub and while I detest copilot and the enshitification that the new ownership represents, I'm also aware that it's likely that the sale provides financial security to the continued existence of GitHub.

I think it's admirable that a project is asking its community if it should stay or move and I wish the developer(s) wrestling with this all the strength and patience in the world to work through it.

I know I've struggled with the same considerations and I'm still using GitHub .. for now.

[-] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 8 points 2 weeks ago

Your argument in relation to GitHub does not take in the reality of the effort involved with migrating to a different platform, effort that is likely unpaid, has no logistical upside and stalls the development efforts of a project,

forgejo can automatically import issues, PRs, Wiki articles, and automatic pull/push mirrors can be set up to keep the repo up to date at other places.

the CI/CD system is almost the same.

all the usual features are the same or very similar, including the whole user interface.

not to mention breaking every single source code repository link across the wider internet, links that represent publicity and community engagement.

who said they need to delete the repo from github?

I think it's admirable that a project is asking its community if it should stay or move

it indeed would be admirable if the communication did not contain offensive tones at multiple places.

and also don't forget that they already migrated once. but in the meantime it seems they have gone back to github for reasons unknown to me.

[-] pemptago@lemmy.ml 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

You're right. I don't mean to minimize the effort required. The effort required is a big part of the argument in favor of moving, or at least aspiring to move to a platform with more open and interoperable values. I can't imagine MS will make that transition any easier as time goes on despite forgejo and others best efforts. I've no problem with an OSS projects using GH but I'd hope they'd take the risk more seriously in a discussion about it.

Edit: I also don't think the effort is wasted or insurmountable. Regarding broken links, I've stumbled across many projects that have changed their GH repo to a mirror and link to their new platform. And RE logistical v philosophical reasons, I consider avoiding vender lock-in to be risk management and part of a project's long-term logistics.

[-] solrize@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago

Certainly it was a mistake to use Github in the first place.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I don't like GitHub either but the large userbase ensures increased attention, which means more adoption, which means more contributors. That's why devs are always begging for "stars".

[-] pemptago@lemmy.ml 2 points 2 weeks ago

Maybe, but if so, I bet it's negligible. When it comes to discovery, there's so many places I'd look for FOSS projects before going GH. Except maybe to check awesome-lists, but you don't have to be on GH to be linked on one (and I've seen them popping up on Codeberg). GH's design in general doesn't seem to promote stumbling across new projects. Even if I'm wrong, one could always mirror on GH.

As for contributing, if someone is willing to go though the trouble to contribute, I'd hope they'd go through the trouble of signing up on a new platform. Maybe there's a non-zero number of contributors who would not, and that's an unacceptable for some projects. There's also potential for more contributors if they trust a project is living FOSS principles and less at-risk of vender lock-in. The fosstodon thread shows people care about where a project lives. The arguments in favor of staying on GH seemed mostly inertia-based.

[-] Ulrich@feddit.org 2 points 2 weeks ago

It's not negligible

[-] JoshuaFalken@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

According to the open letter those donations to Organic Maps were used for a personal holiday. Along with everything else in there, I'm not using it any longer.

[-] communism@lemmy.ml 4 points 2 weeks ago

I use CoMaps as my main maps app and it works great

[-] lukecooperatus@lemmy.ml 34 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Isn't all of their concern kind of demonstrated to be unfounded? CoMaps forked the exact codebase being discussed and moved to Codeberg already, and they're doing great now. Whatever it is that the Organic Maps team thinks is indispensable on GitHub is clearly not actually an insurmountable challenge to ditch.

[-] danielquinn@lemmy.ca 28 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I will never understand the Free software developers that go to bat for GitHub.

Microsoft hates you and everything you spend countless hours building for free. They steal your work and sell shittier versions of it for exorbitant profit that they do not share with the community. They contract with ICE. They sell AI tools to Israel to help them commit genocide, and their CI offering is a total fucking mess.

[-] herseycokguzelolacak@lemmy.ml 25 points 2 weeks ago

I switched from OrganicMaps to CoApps recently. CoMaps is a fork or OrganicMaps. One of the things they fix is that they moved the source from Github to Codeberg.

[-] solrize@lemmy.ml 22 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Github gets an F rating as an ethical repository per gnu.org.

https://www.gnu.org/software/repo-criteria-evaluation.html

Criteria for above: https://www.gnu.org/software/repo-criteria.html

See also: https://sanctum.geek.nz/why-not-github.html

All of the above are pretty old and things have surely changed since then, but probably for the worse.

[-] splendid9583@kbin.earth 15 points 2 weeks ago
[-] vermaterc@lemmy.ml 10 points 2 weeks ago

If something works, don't change it. And GitHub, not being ideal, works pretty well.

[-] pemptago@lemmy.ml 17 points 2 weeks ago

I agree, and I can forgive OSS projects still using it, but if they're inviting a discussion about it I'd hope they'd be more sensitive that:

  1. github is not static
  2. being on a Microsoft platform carries a significant risk (embrace, extend, extinguish).
  3. There are plenty of successful OSS hosted elsewhere and each one helps the whole system grow.
[-] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 9 points 2 weeks ago

windows 10 works pretty well too. all things amazon work pretty well too. google's services very rarely have bugs, even less security breaches. they are all so convenient! why are people switching to alternatives, that are sometimes worse, sometimes better?

[-] B0rax@feddit.org 4 points 2 weeks ago

Win 10 might work pretty well. But win 11 fucking sucks.

this post was submitted on 15 Sep 2025
86 points (100.0% liked)

Open Source

41110 readers
427 users here now

All about open source! Feel free to ask questions, and share news, and interesting stuff!

Useful Links

Rules

Related Communities

Community icon from opensource.org, but we are not affiliated with them.

founded 6 years ago
MODERATORS