[TIP] [unittest2] Issues DB migrated off of google code.

[Robert Collins]

On 19 March 2015 at 17:52, Ben Finney <ben+python at benfinney.id.au> wrote:
> Robert Collins <robertc at robertcollins.net> writes:
>
>> GitLab's issue tracker isn't federated. (Few are).
>
> According to <URL:https://about.gitlab.com/features/>, the issue tracker
> is part of the free-software GitLab. Do you have information otherwise?

Free doesn't imply federated. Bugzilla is free and not federated.
debbugs is free and not federated. Launchpad is free and somewhat
federated.

>> Thirdly, GitLab is no more or less federated than Github AFAICT
>
> My point isn't about what features are there. My point is about what
> features are locked in to the provider — whether the (for example) issue
> tracker can be migrated, with the rest of the project, to a different
> provider retaining continuity.
>
> GitHub fails on that.

Github has a comprehensive API that allows trivial migration to
another provider. https://developer.github.com/v3/issues/ So its
extremely straightforward to migrate the issue tracker (which is the
content in question) to another provider. In general Github behaves
excellently on an open-data spectrum.

>> certainly googling found
>> http://feedback.gitlab.com/forums/176466-general/suggestions/5097708-implement-cross-server-federated-merge-requests
>> which shows its not federated today.
>
> I see. Thanks for correcting my incorrect use of “federated”.
>
> So I re-phrase the question: Can we move the issue tracker to a provider
> where it's not locked in?

I have no motivation to do so: its no more locked in than it would be
anywhere else AFAICT. We're not using any uniquely Github features
that would form lock-in, and the data is accessible via a standards
based API.

>> Fourthly, there's absolutely nothing morally wrong
>
> Not the argument I was making. I am arguing from practical concerns:
> there are issue trackers which don't lock the project in, and those are
> a lower risk than a locked-in service.

Ok, understood. Github doesn't lock in the bug tracker AFAICT, Could
you explain how it does?

>> Fourthly GitLab *service* is absolutely proprietary.
>
> My understanding is that a project hosting its issue tracker on
> GitLab.com can migrate to a free-software instance of GitLab, and keep
> moving forward with the same data from that point. Where is that
> incorrect?

Well, we can migrate the data from Github anytime we want. See for
instance https://github.com/sorich87/github-to-bitbucket-issues-migration
which would do that to move to Bitbucket.

So I don't see the lockin here. Can you help me understand?

-Rob

-- 
Robert Collins <rbtcollins at hp.com>
Distinguished Technologist
HP Converged Cloud