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SourceForge and GIMP [Updated]
New submitter tresf writes: In response to a Google+ post from the Gimp project claiming that "[Sourceforge] is now distributing an ads-enabled installer of GIMP," Sourceforge had this response: "In cases where a project is no longer actively being maintained, SourceForge has in some cases established a mirror of releases that are hosted elsewhere. This was done for GIMP-Win.
Submitter's note: Gimp is actively being maintained and the definition of "mirror" is quite misleading here as a modified binary is no longer a verbatim copy. Download statistics for Gimp on Windows show SourceForge as offering over 1,000 downloads per day of the Gimp software.
In an official response to this incident, the official Gimp project team reminds users to use official download methods. Slashdotters may remember the last time news like this surfaced (2013) when the Gimp team decided to move downloads from SourceForge to their own FTP service. "Therefore, we remind you again that GIMP only provides builds for Windows via its official Downloads page." Note: SourceForge and Slashdot share a corporate parent. Editor's note: I just got back from a busy weekend to see that a bunch of people are freaking out that we're "burying" this story, so here it is. Go hog wild. Sorry it took so long. (And for future reference, user submissions are easily found in the firehose, listed in the order they appear, newest first.)
Update: 06/01 22:37 GMT by T : The SourceForge blog has a welcome update; SourceForge, it says, has effective today "stopped presenting third party offers for unmaintained SourceForge projects. ... At this time, we present third party offers only with a few projects where it is explicitly approved by the project developer, or if the project is already bundling third party offers."
Submitter's note: Gimp is actively being maintained and the definition of "mirror" is quite misleading here as a modified binary is no longer a verbatim copy. Download statistics for Gimp on Windows show SourceForge as offering over 1,000 downloads per day of the Gimp software.
In an official response to this incident, the official Gimp project team reminds users to use official download methods. Slashdotters may remember the last time news like this surfaced (2013) when the Gimp team decided to move downloads from SourceForge to their own FTP service. "Therefore, we remind you again that GIMP only provides builds for Windows via its official Downloads page." Note: SourceForge and Slashdot share a corporate parent. Editor's note: I just got back from a busy weekend to see that a bunch of people are freaking out that we're "burying" this story, so here it is. Go hog wild. Sorry it took so long. (And for future reference, user submissions are easily found in the firehose, listed in the order they appear, newest first.)
Update: 06/01 22:37 GMT by T : The SourceForge blog has a welcome update; SourceForge, it says, has effective today "stopped presenting third party offers for unmaintained SourceForge projects. ... At this time, we present third party offers only with a few projects where it is explicitly approved by the project developer, or if the project is already bundling third party offers."
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Interfere with slashdot posts?
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Nice try, Soulskill. Nobody's buying it.
If it hadn't been for that moron, today's /. submission would've probably not been posted.
Nonsense! Soulskill would have posted it as soon as he returned from his busy 5-day weekend.
/. being slower than everyone else to report on a story.
That is suspicious.
Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.
Ernest Hemingway
>>>Bennet Hasselton cannot be defeated. He's merely resting.
Bennet Hasselton article shows up only if someone mentions Bennet Hasselton three times in a single post.
In his house at R'lyeh, dead Bennet Hasselton waits dreaming.
If you want a vision of the future, imagine a youtube comments section scrolling - forever.
>>>Bennet Hasselton cannot be defeated. He's merely resting. Bennet Hasselton article shows up only if someone mentions Bennet Hasselton three times in a single post.
You bastard!
Aaargh! you made me do it too!
Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
I suspect Timothy just loads stuff on cron at the start of the weekend and takes off fishing, or something.
I actually think that someone loads "Timmy" up on cron at the start of the weekend and takes off fishing.
I am Slashdot. Are you Slashdot as well?
Maybe it's time to start emailing some advertisers to expose corruption in Tech journalism?