Re: sponsor logo on home of CPAN mirror

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On 1 January 2018 at 17:57, Elaine Ashton <[email protected]> wrote:

> On Jan 1, 2018, at 5:20 PM, Henk P. Penning <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>  I don't understand the "slippery slope".
>   Where is the "slope", and why is it "slippery" ?
>  -- the "how to add a sponsor logo/link" has been around for years
>  -- CPAN's home-page already uses javascript
>  How is adding 1 javascript function and 1 empty <span> a problem?
>  How is it worse than suggesting to users to tinker with /index.html?
>
>
> I think the =E2=80=98slope=E2=80=99, from a syseng perspective is trying =
to solve a
> problem we don=E2=80=99t quite understand which may have far reaching con=
sequences
> we may not want. I think the saying in programming is akin to =E2=80=98pa=
tch one
> bug and create two new ones.=E2=80=99 ;)
>
> We have always acknowledged the master mirrors, including funet.fi, which
> was a state/edu network who never requested such recognition. Even when I
> ran search.cpan out of WashU and Webster U, neither University requested
> recognition, nor complained about the resource load, which was rather
> substantial, especially since the hardware was donated and we all
> volunteered our time to maintain it. Hardware, storage and network
> resources have become less expensive in the 20 years since that time.
>
> I suppose my point is that, if your concern is that the number of mirrors
> is declining, the problem may be not as simple as offering sites an
> opportunity to add a logo, which may later lead to a demand for
> advertising, which is where the =E2=80=98slippery slope=E2=80=99 comes in=
 (at least for
> me). Understanding the reasons why mirrors are leaving and/or doing so in
> shorter periods of time may lead to a better understanding and solution
> than the current suggestion.
>

I _think_ what Henk was getting at is we currently have rules that are not
clear (but DO allow for a logo/link) and currently lead to people doing
things we don't want, I don't think it has anything to do with the number
of mirrors, now metacpan and others use fastly CDN, the concept of a 'near
by' mirror isn't really relevant (though having mirrors is always good for
other reasons!).

Giving a simple framework to add a logo/link (maybe even copy) for the
hosting mirror clarifies these rules.

I agree offering a config file in /local/ is cleaner than adding a
javascript file in /local/ - because that then makes it extra clearer what
is and is not acceptable, and if anyone really cared could then be audited
automatically.

As Henk is probably the best person on the Planet to understand what
Mirrors are doing and what what they want, the .json file feels like a nice
solution.

Hope my thoughts are useful.

Leo

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><br><div class=3D"gmail_extra"><br><div class=3D"gmail_quo=
te">On 1 January 2018 at 17:57, Elaine Ashton <span dir=3D"ltr">&lt;<a href=
=3D"mailto:[email protected]" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt;</span=
> wrote:<br><blockquote class=3D"gmail_quote" style=3D"margin:0 0 0 .8ex;bo=
rder-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div style=3D"word-wrap:break-wo=
rd;line-break:after-white-space"><div><span><blockquote type=3D"cite"><div>=
On Jan 1, 2018, at 5:20 PM, Henk P. Penning &lt;<a href=3D"mailto:penning@u=
u.nl" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a>&gt; wrote:</div><div><div><br> =
=C2=A0I don&#39;t understand the &quot;slippery slope&quot;.<br> =C2=A0=C2=
=A0Where is the &quot;slope&quot;, and why is it &quot;slippery&quot; ?<br>=
 =C2=A0-- the &quot;how to add a sponsor logo/link&quot; has been around fo=
r years<br> =C2=A0-- CPAN&#39;s home-page already uses javascript<br> =C2=
=A0How is adding 1 javascript function and 1 empty &lt;span&gt; a problem?<=
br> =C2=A0How is it worse than suggesting to users to tinker with /index.ht=
ml?<br></div></div></blockquote><div><br></div></span>I think the =E2=80=98=
slope=E2=80=99, from a syseng perspective is trying to solve a problem we d=
on=E2=80=99t quite understand which may have far reaching consequences we m=
ay not want. I think the saying in programming is akin to =E2=80=98patch on=
e bug and create two new ones.=E2=80=99 ;)=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>W=
e have always acknowledged the master mirrors, including <a href=3D"http://=
funet.fi" target=3D"_blank">funet.fi</a>, which was a state/edu network who=
 never requested such recognition. Even when I ran search.cpan out of WashU=
 and Webster U, neither University requested recognition, nor complained ab=
out the resource load, which was rather substantial, especially since the h=
ardware was donated and we all volunteered our time to maintain it. Hardwar=
e, storage and network resources have become less expensive in the 20 years=
 since that time.=C2=A0</div><div><br></div><div>I suppose my point is that=
, if your concern is that the number of mirrors is declining, the problem m=
ay be not as simple as offering sites an opportunity to add a logo, which m=
ay later lead to a demand for advertising, which is where the =E2=80=98slip=
pery slope=E2=80=99 comes in (at least for me). Understanding the reasons w=
hy mirrors are leaving and/or doing so in shorter periods of time may lead =
to a better understanding and solution than the current suggestion.</div></=
div></blockquote><div><br></div><div>I _think_ what Henk was getting at is =
we currently have rules that are not clear (but DO allow for a logo/link) a=
nd currently lead to people doing things we don&#39;t want, I don&#39;t thi=
nk it has anything to do with the number of mirrors, now metacpan and other=
s use fastly CDN, the concept of a &#39;near by&#39; mirror isn&#39;t reall=
y relevant (though having mirrors is always good for other reasons!).</div>=
<div><br></div><div>Giving a simple framework to add a logo/link (maybe eve=
n copy) for the hosting mirror clarifies these rules.</div><div><br></div><=
div>I agree offering a config file in /local/ is cleaner than adding a java=
script file in /local/ - because that then makes it extra clearer what is a=
nd is not acceptable, and if anyone really cared could then be audited auto=
matically.</div><div><br></div><div>As Henk is probably the best person on =
the Planet to understand what Mirrors are doing and what what they want, th=
e .json file feels like a nice solution.</div><div><br></div><div>Hope my t=
houghts are useful.</div><div><br></div><div>Leo</div><div><br></div><div><=
br></div></div></div></div>

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