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Re: Required reqistration

From: Mark Phippard <markphip_at_gmail.com>
Date: Fri, 8 Aug 2008 12:28:21 -0400

On Fri, Aug 8, 2008 at 12:11 PM, Jan Hendrik <list.jan.hendrik_at_gmail.com> wrote:
> Concerning Re: Required reqistration
> Karl Fogel wrote on 8 Aug 2008, 10:54, at least in part:
>
>> Anyone is free to build binaries from Subversion's source, and to
>> distribute those binaries any way they want (including with
>> registration). I'm glad CollabNet is making these binaries available,
>> but they're not any more "official" than any other binary someone
>> chooses to make. You could make binaries too, and they'd be just as
>> legitimate as the ones CollabNet is making!
>
> Karl,
>
> what about this "certified" business?

That means CollabNet has tested the binaries and packaging. This is
something CollabNet's customers have asked for. The binaries are also
provided for convenience to the community in general. Would you
prefer that they only be available to our paying customers?

> In my humble understanding
> before long any request on this list or other places which has a
> buggy smell will be put down until the poster confirms it with the
> binaries from CollabNet.

That is complete FUD. When has anyone on any of the mailing lists
EVER asked this as a pre-req for answering a question? There is no
relationship between what CollabNet or any other company does around
Subversion and the help you can receive here in this community.

> Just because any binary, at Tigris or
> elsewhere, is, well, not certified and in such a manner official and
> could just be the buggy reason for any issue.

CollabNet uses the exact same source code that Subversion publishes.
Our version would have the same bugs as anyone else. Our
qualification process is primarily verifying that the build and
installation did what it was supposed to and that the things that are
supposed to work do.

> I will gladly be
> proven wrong, in the long run ... For it seems like the Windows
> installer at Tigris already has become victim of CollabNet's binaries.

There is no relationship at all between the installers and binaries
posted on Tigris and the ones posted by CollabNet. There have been
plenty of periods in the past when that has not been an installer
available. You are free to organize and lead a group that takes
responsibility for developing and maintaining this. It is not as easy
as it sounds. My understanding is that the delay happened because the
volunteer that took this on has tried to make a lot of enhancements.
He probably made a mistake in not releasing the existing installer
first and then working on the enhancements. Feel free to pick up the
ball and run with it.

> Personally I can live quite well with DJH's binaries package (thanks
> to him for still providing them!) though from time to time I liked the
> installer to get a more recent version of the SVN book in CHM
> format, IMHO easier to handle and on resources than PDF, and
> more comfortable to use than HTML (e.g. index, search) as found
> at red-bean.com.
>
> What bothers me with the CollabNet binaries even more than the
> registration (and almost always registration is followed by spam of
> some sort) is them forcing the use of particular versions of Apache
> and Python and probably other stuff. But I don't want to change
> from the Python.org binaries to ActivePython, nor do I like being
> pressed into changing to Apache 2.2 at this time. Yet I don't need
> just the SVN client, I run a local repository ... That's what I get from
> both the CollabNet download & requirements pages and from
> comments on this very list, haven't had the time and inclination to
> give their binaries an actual test run - that is after a proper HDD
> clone to get back onto my feet in the suspected case of mungings
> with my Apache & Python setup.

That was a choice CollabNet made in order to be able to support its
paying customers and provide the SLA they ask for. The binaries are
provided as a convenience to the community. If you want to maintain
your own Apache and Python setup, great. Use DJ's binaries.

>> The registration is their choice, because it's their server. It has
>> nothing to do with "open source", except in this sense: it's because
>> Subversion is open source that CollabNet (and you, and anyone else)
>> has the freedom to make and post binaries.
>
> Certainly. It's only unfortunate for us programmatic greenhorn
> users that on Windows one has to throw out 600 bucks or so for
> the required compiler and then the hassle with the compiling
> business only begins. At this price - and that for the regular
> updates following en suite - there are ready-to-use version control
> systems out there.

Subversion compiles just fine using Microsoft's free compilers.

> And when they require registration I know quite
> well they do so to prevent me from using their stuff with four hands -
> and for selling me additional maintenance ...

Poor you. How awful that someone might offer to provide you support
if you want it, or a training course. Or worse, perhaps get notified
that there was a bug and a new version has been posted.

-- 
Thanks
Mark Phippard
http://markphip.blogspot.com/
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Received on 2008-08-08 18:28:50 CEST

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