Libs.rs is now closed source
Libs.rs is now closed source
START HERE. This is the top-level project for lib.rs that connects all the repositories together.
Previously: https://lemmyrs.org/post/175672
I originally had sources and data of the site public, hoping they would be interesting to study, aid in bug reporting, bring contributions, and make site's algorithms transparent.
Instead, I got knee-jerk reactions about lines of code taken out of context. I got angry dogpiles from the Rust community, including rust-lang org members. I don't need to endure such mudslinging. Therefore, the sources are no longer available.
As of right now bitcoin crate is not deprecated, instead libs.rs responds with error 502.
Today the came for cryptocurrency, if we don’t speak up - tomorrow they will come for monads and other category theory goodies.
Honestly, the association with cryptocurrency, blockchain and similar scam technologies has always been one of the biggest stains on the Rust ecosystem, not to mention humanity as a whole. I can completely understand the libs.rs author not wanting to list anything related to that and as a German it is frankly a bit disgusting to use something derived from the Niemöller lines about concentration camps and political persecution to defend cryptocurrencies.
I would also have a hard time going back to the clunky crates.io interface if libs.rs was somehow not available any more or large numbers of authors requested removal of their libraries from there.
Who gets to decide if a project deserves to live or not? You don't like the quite - there's more...
“Colored people don’t like the book "Little Black Sambo". Burn it. White people don’t feel good about "Uncle Tom’s Cabin". Burn it. Someone’s written a book on tobacco and cancer of the lungs? The cigarette people are weeping? Burn the book. Serenity, Montag. Peace, Montag. Take your fight outside. Better yet, into the incinerator
Do you have suggestions what the future of lib.rs should be?
I can't say I'm surprised. I was honestly wondering how this backlash would affect kornel; it can't feel good to get such a negative response on an open source project like this, and I feel bad for him. While I strictly don't agree with the actions done against crypto crates, especially not the marking of an active crate as deprecated, I thought that some of the other reactions to things like marking crates as non-semver compliant were overblown.
Specifically, I think one of the cases definitely was an accident, as it probably was made at a point when it really looked like the author was doing the same
1.0.xformat that some other notable crates are guilty of, even thought that turned out to not be the case.Ultimately, this is a good example of why crates.io is so hesitant to be opinionated at all about anything, which is I think a big reason why something like lib.rs came into existence anyway. If anyone has been wondering why crates.io is so hesitant to stop people from squatting crates names, it's because they would get reactions like this. Being opinionated means things will get political and the community may divide themselves over it.
All this drama is sad. I like lib.rs, it has better search results and easier to use UI than crates.io.
If it was me who ran it (and it isn't) I'd probably include crypto results but put a big banner on top of their pages (and small ones in their search results) about me distancing myself from that. The crucial thing I belive is to make it clear what is happening, and to communicate clearly and transparently.
I wouldn't reuse "deprecated" tag, nor use derogatory wording in general. While i agree with the sentiment that crypto is a major problem and rather useless, some of the wording lib.rs has used is rather loaded, and feels like it can be interpreted as akin to name calling.
I found that the best way to reduce drama in my life is to not get sucked in. Say what I think with as neutral tone as possible and leave it at that. Not always easy, but I strive for it (which is what I'm attempting to do here, and why I rewrote some parts of this post after reading it and thinking about how it could be interpreted).
Additionally, I hope the author will reconsider the move to closed source, because I dont think that will solve anything. Rather it risks adding fuel to the fire, since people wanting to argue will point to this and say "look, we have no idea how it works any more, you can't trust it" (or even worse things).
Some additional thoughts (responding to myself here):
Say what I think with as neutral tone as possible and leave it at that
A hypothetical person might respond to this "But I have strong feelings on subject X!"
To which I respond: consider what effect your words will have. Inflammatory words will just entrench people's position more, in both camps. People on the fence are likely to walk away from the whole thing out of disgust (especially if both sides behave that way) or take the side of your opposition.
Reasoned arguments in neutral tone however will rarely change the opinion of those who strongly disagree with you (there is a slim chance). But it might strike a chord with those who are on the fence.
A tendency for debates to get polarised is a general problem in modern society in my opinion, not just in Rust. Not just politics. Not just media. Pretty much everywhere. I have seen it here on lemmyrs.org as well in the discussion of the drama around lib.rs. But I don't think calling out specific instances would do any good (rather the opposite in fact, as it might easily be interpreted as an attack on the posters person).
I can't agree more
@manpacket I hate if open source devs do this kind of thing.
I wish folks who have so much energy to demonize crypto had a tenth as much passion for tearing down the capitalist system of oppression that keeps us forever working for less than we are worth because we are terrified of homelessness and starvation.
I'm all for it, but I don't see how I could do that with lib.rs in particular. The site already takes a swing at the anarcho-capitalist-flavored plutocracy.
I was going to say it's a shame, and in a way, I guess it kind of still is. But then I saw the gitlabb issue where the creator treated burntsushi like crap for wanting his packages removed. That makes me feel less bad about it.
Why do you say like crap? I took time to understand his position and reasons (which was helpful, because they were different reasons than requests before that). We've agreed on a way forward, and I have fulfilled his wish. It has been a bit frustrating for both of us, because it was in essence a conflict, but I think it's been resolved in a civil way.