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Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code

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  Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code Daniel Pocock <daniel@pocock.pro> - 2018-05-09 12:20 +0200
    Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code Paolo Greppi <paolo.greppi@libpf.com> - 2018-05-09 12:50 +0200
    Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code Ian Jackson <ijackson@chiark.greenend.org.uk> - 2018-05-09 15:30 +0200
    Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code Zebulon McCorkle <zebmccorkle@zeb.fun> - 2018-05-22 06:30 +0200

#896830 — Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code

Package: wnpp
Severity: wishlist
X-Debbugs-CC: debian-devel@lists.debian.org,debian-outreach@lists.debian.org


Visual Studio Code regularly comes up in discussions.  Several GSoC
students have asked about using it for Python projects.

Upstream releases[1] the source code under an MIT license on Github

They also distribute binary versions that may or not be built from an
identical code base and contain other (non-free) license clauses.  The
differences are discussed[2] in Github.  It is suggested that the
difference between the source and binary version is like the difference
between chromium and chrome.

Various people have commented about the product sending[3] telemetry
data to the upstream but it is not clear if that happens if it is built
from the source but presumably that can be patched.

The FAQ also mentions[4] auto-updates, that also appears to be something
that would be unexpected for a package user.

There is some background information[5] about the product on Wikipedia.

Any feedback about the suitability of this software as a package or the
use of this software for free software development in general and
alternatives (whether packaged or not) would be welcome.

Regards,

Daniel


1. https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/blob/master/LICENSE.txt
2. https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/60#issuecomment-161792005
3.
https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/supporting/FAQ#_how-to-disable-telemetry-reporting
4.
https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs/supporting/FAQ#_how-do-i-opt-out-of-vs-code-autoupdates
5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visual_Studio_Code

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#896833

Il 09/05/2018 12:11, Daniel Pocock ha scritto:
> ...
> Visual Studio Code regularly comes up in discussions.  Several GSoC
> students have asked about using it for Python projects.
> 
> Upstream releases[1] the source code under an MIT license on Github
> ...

Hi, this looks like an interesting app to have because it's gaining
popularity and would make it easier for many people to switch to Debian.

It is a JavaScript app developed on top of electron (as signal-desktop for
example).

Electron should be just a few tens of node-* packages away:
https://wiki.debian.org/Javascript/Nodejs/Tasks/electron

It's a matter of picking up those two RFP, creating the ITPs for the
missing dependencies, and updating the out-of-date dependencies.

Whoever wants to jump in is welcome to join the pkg-javascript team
and contribute to this work !

Paolo

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#896856

Daniel Pocock writes ("Bug#898259: RFP: vscode -- Microsoft Visual Studio Code"):
> Package: wnpp
> Severity: wishlist
> X-Debbugs-CC: debian-devel@lists.debian.org,debian-outreach@lists.debian.org
...
> Visual Studio Code regularly comes up in discussions.  Several GSoC
> students have asked about using it for Python projects.

It would be nice if you'd said what this thing even is :-).  I know
it's on that WP page you linked to but it ought to be here in the bug.

Wikipedia says

  Visual Studio Code is a source code editor developed by Microsoft
  for Windows, Linux and macOS. It includes support for debugging,
  embedded Git control, syntax highlighting, intelligent code
  completion, snippets, and code refactoring. It is also customizable,
  so users can change the editor's theme, keyboard shortcuts, and
  preferences.

So it's an IDE.


You list a number of concerns and ways they might be addressed.  I
have a concern you have not mentioned:

IDEs encourage particular ways of programming, both in general, and
specifically.  They lead developers down particular paths.  In this
case, those paths might be harmful to Debian or to our users.

For example, it might promote interfaces that Microsoft prefer, over
interfaces that Microsoft deprecate; or it might promote
edit-a-template coding workflows (and the templates might have
unfortunate licences).

It might encourage intergration with other Microsoft products.

Even if we do an assessment of these kinds of questions, and find that
right now they are not a problem, Microsoft can of course change
things later.  The bait-and-switch business strategy is common.

In summary, I am uncomfortable with Microsoft as an upstream in this
context.  Of course, none of this necessarily contradicts Debian's
formal standards, so a final decision would rest with
maintainers/sponsors within Debian.

Ian.

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#898967

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

On Wed, May 09, 2018 at 11:11:01AM +0100, Daniel Pocock wrote:
> They also distribute binary versions that may or not be built from an
> identical code base and contain other (non-free) license clauses.  The
> differences are discussed[2] in Github.  It is suggested that the
> difference between the source and binary version is like the difference
> between chromium and chrome.
> 
> Various people have commented about the product sending[3] telemetry
> data to the upstream but it is not clear if that happens if it is built
> from the source but presumably that can be patched.

This might have changed since I last looked into it, but last I checked
the only difference between the OSS project and the MS-distributed
builds is a list of URLs for extension repositor(y|ies), telemetry
server(s), etc. Source builds will likely not have the extension repo or
anything online, unlike Chrome/Chromium where Chromium still has access to
the webstore and Google integration.

See
https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode/issues/60#issuecomment-161792005,
though things may have changed since 2015 when that was written.

-- 
Zebulon McCorkle
Email: zebmccorkle@zeb.fun
IRC:
 - zebmccorkle@Freenode
 - zebmccorkle@OFTC
 - zeb@EsperNet
 - zeb@hackint
 - zeb@PdgnCo
 - zeb@EFNet
PGP: 803A 0F47 82AD DDEA 46BE  055F F8F9 DB8C 1A54 6398
     (Zebulon McCorkle <zebmccorkle@zeb.fun>)

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