Re: CDN Test Results - Should We Continue Using a CDN?

[mikadoZero]

Thank you for correcting my false assumptions and sharing that link.

Ricardo Wurmus writes:

> mikadoZero <address@hidden> writes:
>
>> In "14.4.1 Software Freedom" of the Guix manual it says that Guix is free
>> software and follows the free software distribution guidelines.
>>
>> Is using a proprietary non free CDN as a core part of Guix's
>> infrastructure in conflict with Guix's software freedom?
>
> Two things:
>
> 1) It is not a core part of Guix’s infrastructure.  People who want to
> bypass the CDN can do so by fetching substitutes from berlin.guixsd.org
> instead of ci.guix.info.  People can also opt out of getting substitutes
> all together or choose to get them from some other build farm.  (The
> build farm is little more than another Guix user.)
>
> 2) “proprietary” / “non-free” terminology does not apply to services.
> See also
> https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/network-services-arent-free-or-nonfree.html
>
> This is a case of “Service as a Hardware Substitute” where we pay to use
> hardware that we do not physically control to substitute for having to
> own and maintain hardware at a large number of physical locations in the
> world.
>
>> Using a proprietary CDN has the potential for an unplanned increase in
>> workload.  This is because of the combination of vendor lock in and
>> product line discontinuation.  Which could create unplanned rework of
>> setting up a CDN elsewhere.  This hinders Guix's resource planning by
>> introducing the potential for surprise rework.
>
> There is no vendor lock in.  We can drop and have dropped the use of a
> CDN without service interruption.  If the CDN service were to be
> discontinued we would simply revert to not offering package distribution
> via CDN.