This is mostly due to inertia and, to an extent, SEO.
Most people use github because it’s all they know and its name is almost synonymous with git hosting. Publishing elsewhere leads to people asking you why you’re not on github, how else can we contribute, etc. Moreover, github seems to score better on Google SEO than other platforms.
It was a shit show before GitHub. I used to email code. I used to have to find random IRC rooms, follow random contributor guides, or beg for access. I remember one project required me to download some torrent bullshit just so I can submit my patch.
As a contributor, I can’t go back to creating multiple accounts and trying to figure out how the hell I give you code.
I don’t care if GitHub is the defacto for open-source projects, as long as there are competitors and mirrors.
I believe relying on Github for an account, rather than on a not-yet-existing code commons organization, is the trouble. E-mail accounts are used left and right, and Sourcehut apparently makes it easy to collaborate on code via e-mail. Delta Chat even makes chat and webapps work over e-mail!
E-Mail is an outdated and terrible way of communication. Sure, it’s still present in a lot of places, but no future proof technology should rely on E-Mail!
Github will never be the only options there’s always alternatives.
But none that compete properly with it. I’m not a good programmer but nearly every open sourced project I’ve used/accessed was on Guthub
This is mostly due to inertia and, to an extent, SEO.
Most people use github because it’s all they know and its name is almost synonymous with git hosting. Publishing elsewhere leads to people asking you why you’re not on github, how else can we contribute, etc. Moreover, github seems to score better on Google SEO than other platforms.
It was a shit show before GitHub. I used to email code. I used to have to find random IRC rooms, follow random contributor guides, or beg for access. I remember one project required me to download some torrent bullshit just so I can submit my patch.
As a contributor, I can’t go back to creating multiple accounts and trying to figure out how the hell I give you code.
I don’t care if GitHub is the defacto for open-source projects, as long as there are competitors and mirrors.
I believe relying on Github for an account, rather than on a not-yet-existing code commons organization, is the trouble. E-mail accounts are used left and right, and Sourcehut apparently makes it easy to collaborate on code via e-mail. Delta Chat even makes chat and webapps work over e-mail!
E-Mail is an outdated and terrible way of communication. Sure, it’s still present in a lot of places, but no future proof technology should rely on E-Mail!
Do try Delta Chat, and Sourcehut if you have more time. They use e-mail as a transport very well.
I understand and agree. My concern is just the gap between it and the competitors.