SourceForge introduces adware into installers (?)

[MrFlibble]

As I was browsing VOGONS a topic caught my attention called Will Dosbox continue to use sourceforge? The OP goes like this:

Sourcefourge is right now getting a really bad rap for some of the things it has done.

Many projects including Gimp and notepad++ have jumped ship in disgust.

I was wondering what the community and Devs thoughts on this matter were?

As I hadn't heard anything bad about SourceForge, I decided to check out what the problem was. And it turns out that the scale of this is apparently pretty serious:
SourceForge grabs GIMP for Windows’ account, wraps installer in bundle-pushing adware

SourceForge, the code repository site owned by Slashdot Media, has apparently seized control of the account hosting GIMP for Windows on the service, according to e-mails and discussions amongst members of the GIMP community—locking out GIMP's lead Windows developer. And now anyone downloading the Windows version of the open source image editing tool from SourceForge gets the software wrapped in an installer replete with advertisements.

Apparently, SourceForge's mysterious "sf-editor1" has also claimed ownership of a number of other accounts for open source and other software projects. The following are just a sampling of downloads now "brought to you by sf-editor1":

• Most of the Apache Foundation's projects—including Allura, Derby, Directory Studio, the Apache HTTP server, Hadoop, OpenOffice, Solr, and Subversion;
• The Mozilla Project's Firefox, Thunderbird, and FireFTP;
• The Evolution and Open-Xchange mail clients;
• The Drupal and WordPress content management systems;
• The Eclipse, Aptana, Komodo, MonoDevelop, and NetBeans integrated development environments;
• The VLC, Audacious, Banshee.fm, Helix, and Tomahawk media players;
• The Reaver WPS Wi-Fi hacking tool;
• and a host of games, utilities, and other applications.

A more recent article:
SourceForge sorry for adware, promises only opt-in in future

Also it appears that plans to introduce "optional" adware existed since 2013:

In July 2013, SourceForge announced that it will provide project owners an optional feature called DevShare, which places closed-source ad-supported content into the binary installers and gives the project part of the ad revenue.[30] Opinions of this new feature vary, with some complaining about downloaders not being as aware of what they are getting or being able to trust the downloaded content, whereas others see it as a reasonably harmless option that keeps individual projects and users in control.[31]

In November 2013, GIMP, a free image manipulation program, removed its download from SourceForge, citing misleading download buttons that potentially confuse customers, as well as SourceForge's own Windows installer, which bundles third-party offers. In a statement, GIMP called SourceForge a once "useful and trustworthy place to develop and host FLOSS applications" that now faces "a problem with the ads they allow on their sites ..."[32] In May 2015, SourceForge transferred the GIMP for Windows project page to the ownership of the "SourceForge Editorial Staff" account, and re-enabled adware downloads.[33] The same happened to the developers of nmap.[34][35]

Source: DevShare adware controversy (Wikipedia)

[developertn]

The Holy Bible says that those who give for free receives what they need for free. Those who sells what they have also needs to buy what they need. So if you believe The Holy Bible is the word of God in written form then you have faith and it comes to you! Just produce it and it comes. Thanks for your time.

[ThreeHeadedMonkey]

I'd read something about this practice somewhere before, but wasn't aware of it affecting quite so many (prominent) projects. That's pretty low, leeching off other people's work that way. But I guess "it's a money world".

[developertn]

Jesus! Don't blame me. I'm doing my part. I'm producing what I can for free. Did I mention free? hehe

Anyways, here is my source code independent of sourceforge pun intended hehe

Also, you can see the secret formula that was used to produce the spinning

I think it is cool anyways hehe

http://www.mediafire.com/download/4w1k4 ... IRDEMO.zip

Thank you to God for my two real parent putting me through school enough to learn something about programming!

Actually, enough to produce something a little at a time

Remember this is not much however I am a new developer.

I'm not like Tom Hall who has been in the business of programming for 30 years.

I've only been at it for close to 1 year so there

[ThreeHeadedMonkey]

Jesus! Don't blame me. I'm doing my part. I'm producing what I can for free. Did I mention free? hehe :lol:

For the sake of clarity, my post wasn't directed at you or your religious beliefs (although the relevance of your ranting to the topic of discussion escapes me).

[developertn]

Jesus!

What I'm talking about is that I produce freeware ALL THE TIME#!!

I just say that some people need to make a living that is all.

I collect welfare.

No, I don't have a Mercedes-Benz in the garage.

However I have enough to support my aging mother who is retired GOD BLESS HER SOUL!

If it wasn't for the nice people giving to welfare to help us out we might be homeless.

So I'm not going to get into it.

However here is another DEMO that I have produces for the kids and kids at heart to play a little.

Hopefully it doesn't take away from their homeworks.

Maybe one day I'll be good enough to produce a full version game.

But for now I am grateful to God my mother and myself have a place to stay!!!!!!!!!!!!

Before I forget here is the little fun DEMO.

No offense intended.

I always try to say "hehe" to lighten the mood so hehe

http://www.mediafire.com/download/5yznp ... thekid.rar

[Malvineous]

As I was browsing VOGONS a topic caught my attention called Will Dosbox continue to use sourceforge? The OP goes like this:

Sourcefourge is right now getting a really bad rap for some of the things it has done.

Many projects including Gimp and notepad++ have jumped ship in disgust.

I was wondering what the community and Devs thoughts on this matter were?

As I hadn't heard anything bad about SourceForge, I decided to check out what the problem was. And it turns out that the scale of this is apparently pretty serious.

Yes they have lost a lot of respect in the community for that, and many people are saying it is unlikely to be something they can recover from, given they are becoming less and less relevant. Which is a shame, because very few alternatives offer the facilities that SF does, including shell access and build servers. But when people can take over your project at any time, suddenly those things don't seem so important...

I've been following this news, and because of these developments, a couple of weeks ago I started migrating AdPlug off SourceForge and over to GitHub to see how difficult it would be. It turned out to be not so bad, and I have received the blessing of AdPlug's founder and maintainer, so now the old SourceForge page has been retired and AdPlug officially has a new home on GitHub. It took quite a bit of effort migrating all the old CVS history across to git but it was definitely worth it, and hopefully it will lower the barrier for people to contribute going forward.

It'll be interesting to see whether SourceForge reinvent themselves after this to become a lean, modern site like GitHub or whether they just fade into obscurity...

[MrFlibble]

It'll be interesting to see whether SourceForge reinvent themselves after this to become a lean, modern site like GitHub or whether they just fade into obscurity...

I hope that the site does not just dissolve. To the best of my knowledge, there are projects there which are no longer updated/maintained, and if SF were to go down they would be lost.

I've just realized that I remained unaware of the adware stuff because I usually download zipped plain files distributions if possible, which were obviously unaffected by the whole thing.

[lennox]

My hope also!