git doesn't offer what github offers (PRs, reviews, comments, ...).
Do people here actually think about the alternatives when they complain certain systems are too centralized?
If you stop using Github/Gitlab/Bitbucket today, you won't be able to collaborate because you no longer have a way to do the things Github lets you do. This isn't Github's fault.
Git is decentralized in that it has logic that allows multiple upstreams/downstreams. It's not magic. It's not "blockchain" or whatever.
Github is not decentralized, it's a SaaS product which offers git-compatible and svn-compatible repository storage, an excellent UI, comments, reviews, issue tracking and a bunch more. FOSS developers are asking you to create accounts to Github not so you can download their repository (you don't need to!), but so you can actually use the contributing tools on offer.
Sorry, I realize this isn't the tone you want to hear, but these comments about "centralized systems in decentralized worlds" are just so empty and meaningless. There's a few projects out there which actually try to solve the abstract issues you mentioned by, for example, adding comment/review metadata to git repositories. But you still have access control to take care of and at the end of the day, you need to trust some party; just like at the end of the day, with DNS, you have to put in a couple of IPs that you trust to provide you with good results.
Yes, you have to create a Github account to contribute to some projects. Has nothing to do with git, has everything to do with being able to use the services that Github provides. What is it that you're actually suggesting?
> If you stop using Github/Gitlab/Bitbucket today, you won't be able to collaborate to projects on these sites because you no longer have a way to do the things Github lets you do.
FTFY
Git works without a website just fine. Linus manages one of the largest Git repos purely via e-mail.
And you can do the same. Sure, Github/Gitlab/Bitbucket is more convenient, but you can just put up a Git repo with a static website that says "send patches to <mailinglist>" like it's 2003.
Do people here actually think about the alternatives when they complain certain systems are too centralized?
If you stop using Github/Gitlab/Bitbucket today, you won't be able to collaborate because you no longer have a way to do the things Github lets you do. This isn't Github's fault.
Git is decentralized in that it has logic that allows multiple upstreams/downstreams. It's not magic. It's not "blockchain" or whatever.
Github is not decentralized, it's a SaaS product which offers git-compatible and svn-compatible repository storage, an excellent UI, comments, reviews, issue tracking and a bunch more. FOSS developers are asking you to create accounts to Github not so you can download their repository (you don't need to!), but so you can actually use the contributing tools on offer.
Sorry, I realize this isn't the tone you want to hear, but these comments about "centralized systems in decentralized worlds" are just so empty and meaningless. There's a few projects out there which actually try to solve the abstract issues you mentioned by, for example, adding comment/review metadata to git repositories. But you still have access control to take care of and at the end of the day, you need to trust some party; just like at the end of the day, with DNS, you have to put in a couple of IPs that you trust to provide you with good results.
Yes, you have to create a Github account to contribute to some projects. Has nothing to do with git, has everything to do with being able to use the services that Github provides. What is it that you're actually suggesting?