Re: Availability of source code (Was: Re: OFF TOPIC about GPL enforcement (Was: Re: [tdf-discuss] Re: [Libreoffice] Proposal to join Apache OpenOffice))

2011/6/21 Jesús Corrius <jesus@softcatala.org>:
> > 1. We want to add a paragraph somewhere in the About dialog box which
> > says that if we are interested in the source code, we should read a
> > specific Wiki page,
> > for example http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/Development/AvailabilityOfSourceCode
>
> I see a problem here. Usually GNU/Linux distributions make
> modifications to the original source code. That means that the *real*
> source code will be the one from your distro and not the one you can
> download from the LibO website, hence the information will be
> misleading.

As far as I know, the distributions make minimal or no changes
to the actually code of LibreOffice. The best they will do is add
packaging instructions.
If you have information of a distribution that performs extensive
LibreOffice development
and did not bother to contribute them upstream, then please tell us
who they are.
I would not see this as a show stopper; we can just append something like

"If you did not receive LibreOffice from http://www.libreoffice.org/,
there might exist extra changes
to the source code. Consult the distributor that gave you the
LibreOffice installation packages for more details."

> We provide all the required source tarballs for each version and every
> piece of code is in our git repository. So we fulfill all the
> requirements but we have the problem that it's not easy to find. I
> guess writing a good text about how to get the source code for every
> version and place it in our download page (or a link to the wiki page)
> is good enough.

So, everyone agrees that in any case we should write a nice wiki page
that explains the merits of the copyleft LibreOffice?
That is, a Wiki page that explains in simple terms how to benefit from
the source code.
Stage 1 would be to simply visit
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/ and select the version they
have.
For LibreOffice 3.3.2 and the Writer module, it's
http://cgit.freedesktop.org/libreoffice/writer/tree/?h=libreoffice-3-3-2
From there, you can view the files online.

Stage 2 would be to clone the source code repositories. The compressed
repositories are about 1.2GB,
and with the working copies they should reach about 2GB.
Then, with git commands it is possible to switch to any branch/version
of LibreOffice (such as 3.3.2).
Using Git source code tools, it is easy to view changes.
For example, see http://trac.novowork.com/gitg/wiki/Screenshots

Stage 3 would be to compile the whole lot and produce a new version of
LibreOffice.

Stage 4 would be to make an elemental change in LibreOffice (such as
modify slightly the About dialog box),
compile, and view the change in the newly produced LibreOffice.

I think that such a document will empower the end-users, and make them
appreciate the fact that LibreOffice is copyleft.

Simos

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