There used to be a brash and rude post here calling out the darktables flatpak maintainer for not stating his position on whether the flatpak would include AI features in the future.
I realized I was wrong in my tone and think considering his contributions it is wrong accusing him by name here - hence me editing this post.
I still do think it would be helpful for a lot of users to know what the plans are for darktables flatpak and the AI features.
@rgruhle ?
In July I have looked at the MuseSore flatpak, since the software was very outdated on Flathub (because of dependency complications). This flatpak is maintained by the same person who seems to have a lot of creative software under his control. My impression was that he is busy, yes, but also opinionated. Wild speculation: I would consider it possible that this PR is stalled because he doesn’t like AI features.
I would love to see a coordinated effort originating in this forum to maintain the flatpaks for image editing software that is regularly discussed here.
I could see myself helping with this, but I don’t always have time (in fact there will be situations where I can’t contribute for multiple consecutive months). So I am not the right person for actual maintainer commit permissions, but I can help in the background. Also right now I don’t know much about the flatpak build pipeline yet, I built Darktable and also modified the MuseScore flatpak, but with AI assistance, which I know is frowned upon in the flatpak community.
Subscribing someone to a thread, unbeknown to them, without their consent, will surely get you to have them do something for you. But I guess this goes on par with the ethical values of “AI”.
Not sure if using “@”“hub” counts as subscribing someone to a thread. (Using the " to avoid “subscriding” you again)
For me it’s a reference to a user, and that user will get notified if they have configured that in their settings.
Hey @hub,
I understand that my post probably annoys you. And I admit not directly contacting you beforehand is bad form.
But the near absolute lack of communication on your side is frankly not great either.
If you as the maintainer of the flatpak feel like inclusion of AI features in the flatpak build is unethical that is fine. But please do say so instead of leaving everyone guessing.
Maybe there could be some conversation around this topic? Communication sure beats silence in ethical terms.
I think the approach is very flawed. I think the community shaming someone for them to do your will is wrong.
Do you know that nothing prevents you from starting a new flatpak repo and calling it darktable-ai? You could then be the maintainer since you are creating it.
@g-man I will take posting and asking for help without talking to @hub beforehand is flawed.
But please show me where I shamed him into doing my will?!
He nor anyone owes you a response.
And to be super clear, I think you are shaming him for not communicating.
Thanks for asking! But I’m not a software developer and still quite new to Linux. I have no experience with compiling software from source or building and maintaining software packages, so I simply don’t have the technical background required for this task.
Unfortunately, I couldn’t offer enough time for it either. Besides my full-time job, I already spend quite a lot of my free time doing voluntary work for my local photography club and supporting my wife’s local cleanup organization.
So while I very much hope that someone will step forward to help maintain the darktable Flatpak, I’m afraid I’m not the right person for the job.
I don’t agree with you on that. If one is the maintainer of a reasonably popular repository and people are basically begging for an answer on a specific question, then that maintainer owes them an answer.
@hub 100% has the authority to decide how to compile for the repository he maintains. And it is fair to not enable the AI features in the flatpak if he has fundamental doubts about that.
But it is not fair leaving people hanging. If not answering is caused by him not having the time available to answer, then the repository needs more manpower.
Where is the contract forcing someone that support a project on their free time to answer your questions? Since when there is this entitlement?
I will leave it at: We disagree on this point.
I can live with that. I don’t feel like discussing this further makes sense.
Are you going to create a darktable-ai in flatpak?
No, I lack both the time and knowledge to do so.
Hence me asking if there might be someone able and willing to help.
Are you going to?
If someone is able and willing, they would not come here asking for permission or approval. They will just do it.
No, I don’t have interest in maintaining a flatpak darktable packaging.
@g-man you are right about this whole thread being rude and I thank you for calling it out (though I don’t agree with you on every point).
I edited the top post (not to hide me missing the mark but because I think the name calling should not be so discoverable).
I still stand by my statements in the course of this thread: Communication is key, lack thereof makes people unhappy (just like rude communication…).
Our own internal moral standard might want us to have open communication. I would not leave people hanging without an answer. But I can’t expect/demand folks to do as I do. In FOSS everyone is free to do as much as they want, otherwise it is not FOSS.