Remove Sparkleshare from File Sync #1771

2020-03-07T16:30:22Z

Zenithium commented

2020-03-07 16:30:22 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Description

Resolves: #1309

It seems that the project maintainer has moved onto working on FigmaSharp. There have only been 16 commits to Sparkleshare since the start of 2019: 3 in Jan19, 3 in May19, 4 in Jan20 and 6 in Feb20. Most of these commits are trivial changes (12 commits with under 10 changes each) to README or bumping version numbers. The "activity" at the start of this year was merging a pull request for Libravatar support. The Windows version is severely outdated and he doesn't care about maintaining it, saying that the outdated version will be the last one.

I think it is safe to say that this project is not maintained anymore. The question is whether that really matters. If the project was "feature-complete" as @dawidpotocki mentioned perhaps it wouldn't matter much, but as Windows users' only option is to use version 1.4, and there have been ~5000 commits to master since then, I wouldn't feel good about recommend Sparkleshare to users.

Netlify preview for the mainly edited page: https://deploy-preview-1771--privacytools-io.netlify.com/software/file-sync/

## Description Resolves: #1309 It seems that the project maintainer has moved onto working on FigmaSharp. There have only been 16 commits to Sparkleshare since the start of 2019: 3 in Jan19, 3 in May19, 4 in Jan20 and 6 in Feb20. Most of these commits are trivial changes (12 commits with under 10 changes each) to README or bumping version numbers. The "activity" at the start of this year was merging a pull request for Libravatar support. The Windows version is severely outdated and he doesn't care about maintaining it, [saying that the outdated version will be the last one](https://github.com/hbons/SparkleShare/issues/1909#issuecomment-526943216). I think it is safe to say that this project is not maintained anymore. The question is whether that really matters. If the project was "feature-complete" as @dawidpotocki mentioned perhaps it wouldn't matter much, but as Windows users' only option is to use version 1.4, and **there have been ~5000 commits to master since then**, I wouldn't feel good about recommend Sparkleshare to users. - Netlify preview for the mainly edited page: https://deploy-preview-1771--privacytools-io.netlify.com/software/file-sync/

netlify[bot] commented

2020-03-07 16:31:07 +00:00

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danarel commented

2020-03-09 15:42:40 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

The last commit was 23 days ago. I am not sure I would write this off just yet. If it's being maintained and merges are active, I don't see a reason to delist. Unless we know for sure bugs are being ignored and the project is no longer moving forward, but right now it looks like the community is still moving it on.

Zenithium commented

2020-03-09 19:42:35 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

As mentioned in my original post, I don't see how Windows users being left on a two year old release is moving forward. I would like to clarify that even if an argument could be made that the maintainer doesn't have to provide binaries to users if they can download and compile the repo themselves, users cannot currently successfully compile as said in the linked issue.

As for the commit, I encourage you to look through the commits that happened since the start of 2019 yourself. If all that happened in a whole year is a minor merge I wouldn't call that a maintained project. Perhaps this graph paints a better picture.

As mentioned in my original post, I don't see how Windows users being left on a two year old release is moving forward. I would like to clarify that even if an argument could be made that the maintainer doesn't have to provide binaries to users if they can download and compile the repo themselves, users cannot currently successfully compile as said in the linked issue. As for the commit, I encourage you to look through the commits that happened since the start of 2019 yourself. If all that happened in a whole year is a minor merge I wouldn't call that a maintained project. Perhaps [this graph](https://github.com/hbons/SparkleShare/graphs/contributors?from=2018-11-20&to=2020-03-09&type=c) paints a better picture.

Mikaela (Migrated from github.com) approved these changes 2020-03-10 10:00:32 +00:00

Mikaela (Migrated from github.com) left a comment

However the linked issue requests reaching out to them

blacklight447 (Migrated from github.com) approved these changes 2020-03-10 15:33:00 +00:00

blacklight447 (Migrated from github.com) left a comment

I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained.

danarel commented

2020-03-10 16:18:05 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained.

I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue.

If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue.

> I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained. I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue. If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue.

blacklight447 commented

2020-03-10 16:21:16 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained.

I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue.

If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue.

the thing is, being barely maintained doesn't have to be a direct issue, but in the case a security issue does pop up, you can be sure it will take a long time for it to be fixed, if it is fixed at all, which is the part that worries me, as we primarly try to recommend tools which look like they will stay around for a long time (and won't become abandonware )

> > I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained. > > I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue. > > If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue. the thing is, being barely maintained doesn't have to be a direct issue, but in the case a security issue does pop up, you can be sure it will take a long time for it to be fixed, if it is fixed at all, which is the part that worries me, as we primarly try to recommend tools which look like they will stay around for a long time (and won't become abandonware )

danarel commented

2020-03-10 16:29:12 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained.

I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue.
If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue.

the thing is, being barely maintained doesn't have to be a direct issue, but in the case a security issue does pop up, you can be sure it will take a long time for it to be fixed, if it is fixed at all, which is the part that worries me, as we primarly try to recommend tools which look like they will stay around for a long time (and won't become abandonware )

Fair point.

I also went back and re-read the thread that's linked to.

The creator does clearly say 1.4 is the last for Windows. So at the very least, we can't recommend it for Windows users.

It does still have a steadyish stream of updates every few months: https://github.com/hbons/SparkleShare/commits/master

However, maybe we do reach out and ask the creator if they care at all? Maybe they just lost interest and hope the community takes over.

> > > I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained. > > > > > > I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue. > > If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue. > > the thing is, being barely maintained doesn't have to be a direct issue, but in the case a security issue does pop up, you can be sure it will take a long time for it to be fixed, if it is fixed at all, which is the part that worries me, as we primarly try to recommend tools which look like they will stay around for a long time (and won't become abandonware ) Fair point. I also went back and re-read the thread that's linked to. The creator does clearly say 1.4 is the last for Windows. So at the very least, we can't recommend it for Windows users. It does still have a steadyish stream of updates every few months: https://github.com/hbons/SparkleShare/commits/master However, maybe we do reach out and ask the creator if they care at all? Maybe they just lost interest and hope the community takes over.

blacklight447 commented

2020-03-10 16:35:03 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained.

I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue.
If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue.

the thing is, being barely maintained doesn't have to be a direct issue, but in the case a security issue does pop up, you can be sure it will take a long time for it to be fixed, if it is fixed at all, which is the part that worries me, as we primarly try to recommend tools which look like they will stay around for a long time (and won't become abandonware )

Fair point.

I also went back and re-read the thread that's linked to.

The creator does clearly say 1.4 is the last for Windows. So at the very least, we can't recommend it for Windows users.

It does still have a steadyish stream of updates every few months: https://github.com/hbons/SparkleShare/commits/master

However, maybe we do reach out and ask the creator if they care at all? Maybe they just lost interest and hope the community takes over.

I guess it would be nice to atleast give them an oppertunity to explain it to us.
@hbons seems to be the prime maintainer of sparkleshare, I hope he can give us an update on the current state of affairs around sparkleshare's development.

> > > > I vote for removal, it does seem barely maintained. > > > > > > > > > I would only be concerned with barely maintained if we felt it needed maintenance. If it's working then it doesn't need constant updates. If we feel the security of the of the app is being monitored and maintained then I don't see an issue. > > > If we feel otherwise, then I do see an issue. > > > > > > the thing is, being barely maintained doesn't have to be a direct issue, but in the case a security issue does pop up, you can be sure it will take a long time for it to be fixed, if it is fixed at all, which is the part that worries me, as we primarly try to recommend tools which look like they will stay around for a long time (and won't become abandonware ) > > Fair point. > > I also went back and re-read the thread that's linked to. > > The creator does clearly say 1.4 is the last for Windows. So at the very least, we can't recommend it for Windows users. > > It does still have a steadyish stream of updates every few months: https://github.com/hbons/SparkleShare/commits/master > > However, maybe we do reach out and ask the creator if they care at all? Maybe they just lost interest and hope the community takes over. I guess it would be nice to atleast give them an oppertunity to explain it to us. @hbons seems to be the prime maintainer of sparkleshare, I hope he can give us an update on the current state of affairs around sparkleshare's development.

👍 1

danarel commented

2020-04-05 01:29:32 +00:00

(Migrated from github.com)

Well, it doesn't seem anything has changed. I think we're safe to remove this.

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Mikaela

blacklight447