After my article about Sourceforge myths a few days ago, several of the engineering and support team told me about other myths that they hear on a regular basis, so here’s a quick followup.
We’re not Open Source
Actually, Sourceforge itself is Open Source. About a year ago we launched a rewrite of the base Sourceforge dev tools, and they were Open Source from day one.
That rewrite is called Allura, and it’s under the Apache License. It’s an ongoing effort, so there are parts of it that are not yet under that Open Source umbrella. But we’re getting there, and it’s our goal to have the entire site running on Open Source components.
It’s hard to upload files
Like many of the complaints about Sourceforge, this one comes from many years ago. I guess that people used Sourceforge long ago, and assumed that nothing has changed since then. Not a very sensible assumption, if you stop and think about it, but one that most of us make at one time or another about something we used, once, long ago.
Uploading files is done via a standard HTTP file upload form. You know how to use those.
There’s also a button to add a folder inside the current folder, if you want to arrange your files into folders. That’s pretty easy to use, too.
In the old days, you had to use FTP or SCP to upload your files, and it was a little cumbersome, but those days are long past. Of course, if you still want to use those methods, those tools are still available, too.
We have anti-Iran export controls
Sourceforge is a US company, and, as such, is subject to US laws. One of those laws restricts the export of certain types of software to certain places.
When you register your project, we ask you if your software is one of those types. Specifically, it looks like this:
It is a legal requirement that we ask you this. If your software doesn’t fall into that category, you need to select no to that question.
If you don’t select “no”, then folks in Iran (and various other countries) won’t be able to download your project. This is not because we hate Iran, but rather because of the above-referenced law.
That was then …
Most of the myths about Sourceforge come from memories of long ago. Unfortunately, it’s awfully hard to dispel what people think they know. Take a look at Sourceforge now, and you’ll find that we’ve come a long way since those days.
We’re just as dedicated to Open Source as we’ve ever been, and we’re actively using our own tools to develop the next generation of the site.