Q: our priority: our users, or free software?

Lucas Nussbaum <[email protected]> Tue, 24 Mar 2026 21:10:22 +0100

Newsgroups	gmane.linux.debian.devel.vote
Message-ID	<[email protected]>

Hi Sruthi,

One question I've been struggling with for some time is SC#4:

> 4. Our priorities are our users and free software
>
> We will be guided by the needs of our users and the free software
> community. We will place their interests first in our priorities.

This is very nice when the interests of our users and of the free
software community are aligned. But sometimes they aren't. And we
probably have at least some users who care a lot more about how well
Debian works for them, than about free software.

Sometimes non-free tools, or infrastructure clearly based
on non-free software, can help us make Debian better for our users.
We already default to using proprietary CDNs to distribute packages.
And our QA tooling mostly runs on proprietary cloud resources.
A critical piece of Debian infrastructure (Salsa) runs on software with
an Open Core business model. There's also discussion about using
AI-based tools in the context of Debian.

Where do you stand?

Should we try to move more Debian infrastructure into the cloud to
reduce infrastructure costs (assuming that it's easier to get sponsored
for cloud ressources, than for purchasing hardware and getting it
hosted)?

Or instead move back stuff that is currently running in the
cloud to Debian-owned hardware?

And what about non-free tools? As DPL, would you accept to use Debian
money to pay for non-free software part of Debian infrastructure?
(example: GitLab Premium/Ultimate versions, if it was reasonable
regarding involved costs)

As DPL, would you accept to use Debian money to pay for non-free
software or services used in the context of Debian development? (I'm
thinking here about software that runs locally, not infrastructure
software part of Debian infra; example: subscription to AI services)

Best,

Lucas

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