On 2019-02-12, Leo Famulari wrote:
> On Tue, Feb 12, 2019 at 12:16:42AM -0800, Vagrant Cascadian wrote:
>> On 2019-02-12, Julien Lepiller wrote:
>> >>+    (synopsis "Compare files and archives in depth")
>
> This synopsis doesn't make clear that this is a client for a remote
> service. Can you rewrite it?
>
>> >>+    (description
>> >>+     "This is a minimal diffoscope client that connects to the
>> >>service:
>
> Also, I think it's better to replace "diffoscope client" with something
> like "client for the remote diffoscope service located at [...]" since
> diffoscope is not inherently a client-service tool. Also it would be
> great to mention the full diffoscope package :)
>
> Can you send an updated patch?

>> > Iiuc, this is a client to connect to a service that runs diffoscope
>> > for you. But we already have diffoscope, so what's the point?
>> 
>> Yes, that's the jist of it.  The main advantage is that it has a much
>> smaller dependency chain locally.
>> 
>> I find it useful on some of the not-particularly-fast ARM systems I've
>> been running GNU Guix, where storage may be limited or slow, and
>> substitutes may not be available as often, and build times
>> are... remarkable.
>
> Yes, and diffoscope runs can also be really expensive. It's nice to
> offload them.
>
> Also, if the service makes statements about whether submissions are
> logged or made public, can you put that in the package description?

I couldn't really think of a straightforward way to mention the
diffoscope package, but the attached patch updates the synopsis and
description to address the other mentioned issues.


>> > What do you think?
>
> We can have SaaSS in Guix. There are already some packages that are
> SaaSS. So I think this package is okay.
>
> It's "extra okay" in my opinion since the service is AGPL, part of
> Debian, and we have a package for the tool in question.
>
> Guix is developed under the Free System Distribution Guidelines, which
> don't mention remote services or SaaSS at all:
>
> https://www.gnu.org/distros/free-system-distribution-guidelines.en.html
>
> And some discussion on the subject of services in the context of free
> software that largely reflect how we handle SaaSS in Guix:
>
> https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.en.html

Thanks for sharing your perspective and links to further reading on
these issues!  It really helps to get a feel for the norms of the
project.


live well,
  vagrant