On Fri, Mar 31, 2017 at 11:34 AM, Normand Chamberland gemnoc@gmail.com wrote:
2017-03-31 5:47 GMT-04:00 Luke Kenneth Casson Leighton lkcl@lkcl.net:
normand, can you please not use non-free proprietary git services for this project, it sends completely the wrong message. please delete that github repository immediately, it brings the EOMA68 project's reputation into disrepute and that's completely unacceptable.
FYI My repo had a README file for which content specifically said
This repository hosts my personal design files for the EOMA68 project. This is not the official project repository.
I fail to see how they could bring "disrepute" to it.since these files were clearly *PERSONAL* and *NON-ASSOCIATED TO THE OFFICIAL PROJECT*.
norman, i haven't checked if you're still subscribed to the list, but if you'd not published that link to the list, and had only discussed it in private email directly with other people, i would not have known and, on a random-chance discovery six to twelve months from now would probably have grumbled a bit, privately, but would have gone, "rhhm.... ok nothing to stress about, no impact on the reputation of the project, time to move along switfly".
fact is: we have something like 50% of the 2,500 backers supporting this project because they believe in libre ethics, and i am also answerable to the FSF for the RYF Certification (josh gay explained it to me that RYF Certification effectively means placing responsibility for the FSF's reputation into the hands of other people, which is not something they do lightly).
in the next update i was going to say, "here you can see where the files are being developed, normand has been kindly assisting, you can help him out as well if you like, by joining the list, he's operating from a libre-hosted repository, thus demonstrating a continued committment to the principles that you backed the project for with your money".
now, if any one of those libre backers had noticed it was a github repository, far from wishing to actively pitch in they would instead be sending me (or worse PUBLICLY writing) strongly-worded enquiries asking, in effect, "what the FUCK do you think you're playing at, lkcl?? i thought this was an entirely libre-based project, and here you are advocating the use of github which has an F on the GNU project's hosting watchlist?? i gave you my money because i believed in you, now you've completely destroyed my trust in you and that can never be restored or regained"
this is the sort of thing i'm up against. it has fuck-all to do with "zeal". i *made a promise* to people, they believe in me, and i simply cannot let them down else absolutely nobody will trust me ever again. the internet is *forever*. they'll see the (hypothetical) conversation in internet archives - forever - and the entirety of the last 6 years of work will have been for nothing.
so please, people, for goodness sake: if you need to host any files please don't use github or any cloud services: it's me (and the project) that get into deep shit, not you. i've got full control over a server which i've been running for 10 years, it has 4 separately-allocated static IP addresses, and i have two friends who also run servers, both of whom make their living from software libre support. we *really* don't need to use proprietary non-free services. if you'd like to host files or repositories send me an ssh key and i can sort something out.
thanks for understanding.
l.