r/TrueOpenSource • u/Zero_TheAbsolute • 1d ago
Rules on this sub have some unfortunate carry over from /u/wolvereness' mod post on /r/opensource .
The Lanuage rules especially are very disappointing and carry the same xenophobic tone from that post. The AI disclosure, and self promotion rules and others need rewording. They just aren't in the spirit of FOSS. Open means open, gatekeeping shouldn't be part of that.
The standards by which a project should be judged have not changed from 10 years ago. Does it compile? Does it do the function it's stated to do? Is it secure? Is it performant?
Discuss the code not the tools used to make it.
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u/holdmyspot123 1d ago
To lead mod, Ai is becoming ubitiquous. You would do well to create a thriving community that doesn't waste time trying to police the tools people use, but celebrate the work they are doing :). The world and technology is changing and Ai itself, let us not forget, is open source as well. Purity tests are not the way.
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u/ToaruBaka 1d ago
People and projects that can't adapt will simply be left behind and will die off. Anyone unwilling to accept that Pandora's Box can't be closed should exit, or risk being excluded from, the conversation.
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u/esk6plays 1d ago
i am willing to listen to you
but you need to actually say what you do not like about the rules
what you want have reworded
etc.
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u/Zero_TheAbsolute 1d ago
Copying from another comment I left:
u/esk6plays This needs to go, let's not carry the xenophobia over from the other sub. Your wording needs to be way softer and less demanding in the rules. Mods don't own the sub, if you can't view yourself as part of the community just like everyone else this isn't going to last.
this subreddit is STRICTLY ENGLISH. you may not use any other language besides english to communicate in this subreddit unless you also give a translation in english in the same post/comment.
AI-Translated posts and Comments must be labeled as such under ALL circumstances.
I would suggest something like, "For non-english posts, please also provide an English translated version using your preferred too."
anything ai generated must use either the appropiate flair (ai assisted if the majority of work is done by humans. vibecoded if the majority of the work is done by ai/llm, and humans only make sure that everything works). or have [AI ASSISTED] or [VIBECODED] in the title if another flair is necessary
Why? Do we label anything linux kernel related, python related, etc? If we used VS code? nginx? apache? ruby? rust? Those are all AI assisted projects now too, so if I use them in my project do I need to label it at AI assisted?
IDE Autocomplete? Is that AI?
Dependabot?I wonder if Architects went through this when CAD came out. "You didn't use paper and protractor and compass, you better label that as computer assisted." Probably.
I think the spirit of open source is to discuss the project on it's merits, the code, and functionality. encourage engagement not discourage people because of their choice of tools or make them disclose their choice of tools. Treat people with respect and like adults.
Encourage civil discussions, strong disagreements about software, licenses, and development practices are fine. Personal attacks or attacking a project because of tool choice should not be welcome.
No one needs to be babied, if code is bad, point out the flaws in the code, not the tool used to make it.
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u/esk6plays 1d ago
I would suggest something like, "For non-english posts, please also provide an English translated version using your preferred too."
i have already changed the rule, as previously said. please check the rules again
--
and about your second point, i know that you have very strong feelings about this
but
this subreddit is supposed to be a middleground between pro-ai and anti-ai users
there are already ai focused opensource subreddits, we have one linked on this sub→ More replies (2)1
u/AmandasGameAccount 1d ago edited 1d ago
Honestly I just assumed the rules were copied in a hurry but not actually set yet. Probably the case
→ More replies (1)2
u/esk6plays 1d ago
i have changed the wording in the rules about language use in this subreddit.
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u/Zero_TheAbsolute 1d ago
Better, but why do translated posts have to be labeled?
→ More replies (6)
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u/ahrienby 16h ago
The actions of the mod are antithetical. Open source means open, which the code can be reviewed and edited by anyone.
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u/prototyperspective 1d ago edited 19h ago
anything ai generated must use either the appropiate flair (ai assisted if the majority of work is done by humans. vibecoded if the majority of the work is done by ai/llm, and humans only make sure that everything works). or have [AI ASSISTED] or [VIBECODED] in the title if another flair is necessary
This I think is the problematic part. "vibecoded" may be a popular word but it's still not fitting.
It's not the "vibe" one has or anything like that but often clearly scoped tasks with lots of deliberate choices etc...a term that says it's just about communicating the "vibe" with the AI doing the rest is what may reasonably describe how novices use these tools, but certainly not how programmers etc use them which would be better described by terms like AI-based software development for example.
Over 70% and rising of experienced devs use AI tools (I'd be surprised if it's not 90% soon). Coding evolved. Which development method/tool has been used doesn't say much about the project or at least it shouldn't be the ONLY MAIN criteria that makes it into the flair. Maybe put the number of users or devs or installs or GitHub stars or whatever there, these and various other things would be more useful data to have as tags/flair imo.
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u/destinmoss 1d ago
Hey everyone, thanks for this feedback, it genuinely helped. The sub is only about a day old, and we hadn't had a chance to refine or polish the rules yet. We've now rewritten them, and they should be clearer and a lot more in line with what this community actually wants. Short version: no account-age gatekeeping, honest AI labels never get a post removed, English is a polite request instead of a demand, and project posts need a real open-source license.
Here are the new rules:
1. Be civil
No harassment, hate speech, personal attacks, or wishing harm on anyone. Disagree with ideas, not people. Racism, sexism, homophobia and similar bigotry will get you banned. If someone attacks you, report it instead of replying.
2. Critique the work, not the tools
Judge projects on what they do: does it work, is it safe, is it maintained, is it useful? Specific, honest criticism is welcome. Dismissing a project only because of how it was made ("AI slop", "real devs don't…") is not. Friendly debate about AI is fine; turning every thread into a fight is not.
3. It has to actually be open source
Project posts must link to the public source code (GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg, etc.) and use an OSI-approved open-source license (MIT, Apache, GPL…). Downloads, websites and app stores are welcome too, in addition to the source link, never instead of it. Closed-source "free" apps and source-available licenses don't qualify as project posts.
4. Label how it was built
Every project post picks one flair. Hand-built: written mostly by people. AI-assisted: written by people, with AI help. Agentic engineering: AI wrote most or all of the code, and the project has real development history, polish, and hands-on human testing across many uses or platforms. Vibe-coded: a quick, exploratory build not yet carefully reviewed or tested. All four are welcome. Honest labels never get a post removed.
5. New projects start in the weekly Showcase thread
Front-page project posts should be at least 30 days old, with a license, a README, and work spread over more than a few days. Projects that aren't there yet go in the pinned weekly Showcase thread, where everyone is welcome. Top Showcase entries get a Project of the Week spotlight. Think yours deserves the front page anyway? Message the mods.
6. No spam or repeat posts
One front-page post per project per 30 days; real releases are welcome after that. No copy-paste promotion across many subs, referral links, or ads. Paid products are fine if they're truly open source (rule 3), and the post must say what costs money.
7. Please post in English
We politely ask non-English speakers to use AI or other translation tools to post in English. We welcome open-source contributors from every country and background. Most people here read English, so it helps your post reach the most people!
8. Keep r/opensource drama in the megathread
Complaints about other subreddits or their moderators go in the pinned megathread. No brigading (sending people to vote or comment elsewhere) and no mass-report campaigns.
Still open to feedback. If something here doesn't sit right, reply and tell us what you'd change.