Githubbub!

docs/about/githubbub.md

@@ -0,0 +1,107 @@
+### GitHubbub!  GitHub Does Not Value Software Freedom.
+
+<div class="inline-img">![GitHub](/images/github-mark-large.png "GitHubbub!")</div>
+
+If you hit this page expecting to have been taken to my GitHub profile, then
+this is probably not what you were looking for.  But let me tell you why
+you're here.
+
+Before providing a link to something hosted on a service, it is wise to
+consider whether doing so is a good idea---whether the service or website
+is antithetical to the message you are trying to send to your
+readers/visitors, or whether it deserves clarification.  There's a little
+bit of both here.
+
+
+#### Non-Free JavaScript
+[Free software][freesw] guarantees your freedom to study, modify, and share
+the software that you use.  We value these freedoms on the desktop, so why
+should we compromise when websites serve proprietary JavaScript
+[just because it creates the illusion of remote execution][whyfreejs]?  When
+you visit a website that serves JavaScript to the client, your web browser
+is automatically [downloading and executing (often without your permission)
+untrusted software][jstrap].  If that JavaScript is not
+[freely licensed][ilibrejs], then the software running in your web browser
+is proprietary.
+
+**When you visit `github.com`, you download over 200kB of obfuscated code,
+much of which is proprietary.**  This code provides many website features
+that are fairly essential, and *do not work with JavaScript disabled*:
+
+- Change repository names or descriptions;
+- Delete repositories;
+- Add an SSH key to your account;
+- Fork repositories;
+- Create pull requests;
+- Enable and disable project features;
+- Use the wiki and issue trackers;
+- View graphs of statistics;
+- And others.
+
+That is---GitHub forces you to run proprietary software in order to use much
+of their website.  This is unethical.
+
+#### Desire To Remain Non-Free
+I contacted GitHub back in April 2014, pointing out these concerns and
+asking if they would be able to either liberate their JavaScript, or make
+GitHub's essential functionality work without JavaScript enabled.  The first
+response I received was from one of their "JavaScript Developers":
+
+> Hi Mike,
+> 
+> Thanks for getting in touch with us here. Some of our internal projects are
+> specific to running GitHub, and as such will probably remain closed. We do
+> make an effort to open source projects that we create that we think would be
+> beneficial to the community, some of which is JavaScript.
+> 
+> You can see a list of some of the open source projects that power GitHub
+> here:
+> 
+> https://github.com/showcases/projects-that-power-github
+
+This response is unfortunately misguided: yes, it is good that GitHub
+produces free software, but it is a false assumption that their proprietary
+code would serve no benefit to the community: the very existence of
+their proprietary software
+[gives them unjust control over their users][unjust].  Relinquishing that
+control is of benefit to the community.
+
+I replied to the above message, clarifying my point.  After receiving no
+response, I forwarded the e-mail to GitHub's original founders: [Tom
+Preston-Werner][tom], [Chris Wanstrath][chris], and [PJ Hyett][pj].  The
+response I received from Chris was blunt and discouraging:
+
+> Hey Mike,
+> 
+> We have no plans to release github.com's JavaScript as free software at
+> this time, nor do we have plans to remove the site's dependence on
+> JavaScript. Thanks for the interest.
+
+The original correspondence is provided here:
+
+1. [Original request][gh-request] to `support@github.com`, Tom, Chris, and
+  PJ.
+2. [Reply to my original request][gh-request-reply] from one of the developers.
+3. [My reply to the developer][gh-request2] providing more information and
+   asking for a commitment.
+4. [Forward of my reply][gh-request3] to Tom, Chris, and PJ, after having
+  received no response from the developer.
+5. [Response from Chris Wanstrath][gh-request3-reply] stating that GitHub
+   has "no plans" to liberate its JavaScript or "remove the site's
+   dependence on JavaScript".
+
+
+[freesw]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-sw.html
+[whyfreejs]: https://www.gnu.org/software/easejs/whyfreejs.html
+[jstrap]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/javascript-trap.html
+[librejs]: https://www.gnu.org/software/librejs/free-your-javascript.html
+[unjust]: https://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-even-more-important.html
+[tom]: https://github.com/mojombo
+[chris]: https://github.com/defunkt
+[pj]: https://github.com/pjhyett
+
+[gh-request]: /docs/gh/email-request
+[gh-request-reply]: /docs/gh/email-request-reply
+[gh-request2]: /docs/gh/email-request2
+[gh-request3]: /docs/gh/email-request3
+[gh-request3-reply]: /docs/gh/email-request3-reply

tpl/.config

@@ -127,10 +127,10 @@ html_index_footer=$(cat <<EOM
         />
     </a>
 
-    <a href="http://github.com/mikegerwitz">
+    <a href="/about/githubbub">
       <img src="/images/github-42.png"
-        alt="See me on GitHub"
-        title="See me on GitHub"
+        alt="Don't see me on GitHub"
+        title="Don't see me on GitHub"
         width="42" height="42" border="0"
         />
     </a>