RE: [gentoo-dev] Migrating to a commercial PHP-based forums package for forums.gentoo.org

[Bjorn Sodergren]

Open Source/GPL , free meaning no $$ needed, or gotta-pay for it, it doesn't
matter as long as the tool you're using is the right tool for the job.

If you insist on using the wrong tools ONLY because you think it is
un-ethical to use non-free software, you should reconsider your priorities.

After all, if you had to rent a specific tool (i.e. ball-joint splitter) to
work on your car, or use what common tools (i.e. a hammer) you have laying
around your house, what would you do ?



> Another option is to migrate to an alternate forums package.
> Specifically, vBulletin, which has proven to be quite
> scalable and effective with larger sites.  The main drawback
> to this is the fact that it is a commercial software package,
> which tends to raise the ire of some of the more zealous GNU
> folks out there.
>
> So, my question to you is, how would you feel if we were to
> do this? Horribly offended?  Saddened because there isn't a
> GPL'd program to meet our needs, but pragmatic about the need
> to do *something*?  Or C, none of the above?
>
> Basically, the choice comes down to one of two things:
>
> 1) Lose some older posts and stay on a GPL-compatible package
> 2) Move to a commercial solution and keep all the posts.
>
> Note that vBulletin *is* open source in that you have access
> to the source code and can modify it.  It's just not Free.
>
> Finally, to keep this process somewhat manageably, I ask that
> you make your responses on the forums.  I've also set up a
> poll there so we can vote on what should be done.  I will
> likely limit my responses to that discussion.
>
http://forums.gentoo.org/viewtopic.php?p=554174

--kurt


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