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MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

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Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#531

Post by trueismywork »

reconnecting wrote: post #529
tormeh wrote: post #524

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not in this position, but obviously this might be the first of many measures taken. Next they could make the repository private. Code is only for customers, Red Hat style. It's not as popular as RHEL - a CentOS style effort is unlikely to materialize. Bug tracker and forums private. Lawyer letters about whether or not your usage is license compliant and a reminder that it would be expensive to prove it is, Oracle sty…

Most of people here put an equal sign between being open source and having Docker image. For me open source is a license, and Docker is a distribution feature. From this prospective I can not understand how distributional channel and type of license are related, as code is still AGPL.

Well code is open source but providing well-engineered solutions (which is what tested docker images are) is good engineering.

And by removing docker images, they are intentionally making open source version a badly engineered version.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#532

Post by aerostable_slug »

stefan_ wrote: post #499
aerostable_slug wrote: post #463

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The fact that these things are happening at all is enough for us to shop for alternatives. MinIO will be completely gone as soon as we identify the best option and get it rolled out, which should be rather quickly. If they were hoping to drive conversions to paying customers, they've done the opposite, at least with my employer.

You can't put 3 lines in a Dockerfile but will be "shopping for alternatives", "identifying the best option" and "get it rolled out"? Do you ever get anything done, "rather quickly"?

Their trend towards walking away from the community is a major red flag to me. If we're going to need to swap them out for an alternative at some point, better to get on it now than wait until we're forced to do so.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#533

Post by yencabulator »

maxloh wrote: post #51
znpy wrote: post #33

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Afaik Ceph has its own object-storage functionality as well, which seems to be S3-compatible: https://docs.ceph.com/en/latest/radosgw/#object-gateway

Yeah. They also created a open source test suite for S3 clones. This is a set of unofficial Amazon AWS S3 compatibility tests, that can be useful to people implementing software that exposes an S3-like API. The tests use the Boto2 and Boto3 libraries. https://github.com/ceph/s3-tests

Oh heh, a trip down the memory lane. I wrote the initial version of that, in an era where AWS docs did not match observed S3 behavior. The only way to make an S3-compatible API was to create a suite of over-the-network tests to run against both AWS S3 and radosgw.

We also had a little grammar-based fuzzer for S3 requests (really, any HTTP), but over the last 10+ years I've lost track of what happened to that code. That found some incompatibilities with allowed character sets etc too.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#534

Post by SteveNuts »

thayne wrote: post #299
SteveNuts wrote: post #175

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I wonder if they will be "valkeyed"? Not by AWS presumably Almost certainly not, due to the AGPL license. I know Nutanix got into hot water about distributing Minio so I don't think any big shop will fork it.

That just means the fork would also need to be AGPL licensed, and the owner of the fork wouldn't be able to also sell a proprietary version with additional "enterprise" features. And IMO that would be a good thing. I think it is unlikely a single entity would do that. But a coalition of current MinIO users might get together to create such a project, perhaps under the Auspices of a foundation such as the Linux Founda…

I am definitely not a lawyer, but as a thought experiment, would Amazon be able to take the AGPL Minio source code, turn it into a managed service, and resell that to customers?

Was under the impression that the answer is yes, they could - with the caveat that they'd have to release the modified source code of whatever backend services are also tied into the Minio source code. For example the AWS control plane that would launch customer instances of Minio, monitor it, etc would also need to be open sourced?

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#535

Post by yencabulator »

In May, they pretty much said they will not maintain the "community version" anymore.

Exact quote: "it will remain as is, and will only receive security fixes if any”

https://jamesoclaire.com/2025/05/27/how-to-self-host-your-ow...

They've also tried to claim AGPLv3 will infect any networked client code too: "Combining MinIO software as part of a larger software stack triggers your GNU AGPL v3 obligations. The method of combining does not matter. When MinIO is linked to a larger software stack in any form, including statically, dynamically, pipes, or containerized and invoked remotely, the AGPL v3 applies to your use. What triggers the AGPL v3 obligations is the exchanging data between the larger stack and MinIO." -- they've since removed that, utterly unsupported, argument, but the lesson to take home is they're really trying to prevent any non-paid use.

It really is time to stop using Minio.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#536

Post by Mawr »

DannyBee wrote: post #87
Hendrikto wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> When you always published and built Docker images for the public you are creating an expectation That expectation does not entitle anybody to anything though. > people will rely on that and will chose your software based on that expectation That is their decision. Without any contract or promise, there is no obligation to anybody. > You suddenly deciding that you won't be offering updated Docker images […] is appro…

"That expectation does not entitle anybody to anything though." This is true legally, but not otherwise (socially, practically) "That is their decision. Without any contract or promise, there is no obligation to anybody." Again, true legally, but IMHO a really silly position to take overall. Imagine I provide free electricity to everyone in my town. I encourage everyone to use it. I do it all for free. I'm very caref…

> Again, true legally, but IMHO a really silly position to take overall.

Is it? Let's take a look at the opposite scenario: What if MinIO never released any source code at all? They'd be just another 100% proprietary company like any other and would have never received any backlash for "pulling up the ladder behind them". So offering something for free and then rescinding later is treated worse than never offering anything for free at all!

What a way to entice companies to do open source guys, great job!

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#537

Post by Mawr »

imiric wrote: post #419
quietbritishjim wrote: post #416

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> No, it doesn't. Yes, there are general safety regulations in any country, but there are no hard rules as to what "satisfactory" or "fit for purpose" means. There are not specific rules for every type of product in consumer law because that wouldn't be workable. Instead, you have to make your case in court, if it gets that far, that it doesn't meet that criteria. The judgements have to be made by squishy fallible hu…

It's remarkable how you keep ignoring my point. I set a deliberately contrived example to illustrate why someone might be understandably upset when a service or product they've been enjoying degrades in quality, regardless of whether they paid for it or not, and the parallels that situation has with OSS rug pulls. Yet you've managed to make this about consumer protection laws, for some reason. Since the conversation…

It's not contrived, it's just bad, unfit for the conversation at all. A meal at a restaurant is paid for, MiniIO is not. There's no room for "regardless whether they paid for it or not", the distinction is fundamental to the discussion. You don't get to decide it doesn't matter.

You can't complain that the neighbour who used to give you a handful of apples each day suddenly stops giving them to you, regardless of how dependent on them you've become. He did not "create an expectation", you did. He did not make you "dependent" on himself, you did.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#538

Post by Mawr »

jraph wrote: post #150
ndriscoll wrote: post #140

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you were relying on their pre-built binaries, you presumably still have them. It's not like they went and deleted them off of your computer. They're just not giving you new pre-built binaries (but they're still giving you new code for free! And others pre-build binaries for free anyway). Do the old ones stop working at some point? Note that a CVE is not an indication that something doesn't work. In the real world,…

Existing binaries don't stop working, but adapting your infra to get the update can take some time. Without other elements, it's definitely not nice to stop releasing the binaries out of the blue, especially for a security fix. To me it's purely a question of breaking expectations you've built yourself (I don't mean entitlement, I mean expectations). Now, it's indeed not the end of the world, and: > you have no one t…

> To me it's purely a question of breaking expectations you've built yourself (I don't mean entitlement, I mean expectations).

Let me stop you right there. MiniIO never promised to provide docker images for free forever, have they? So where does this "expectation" come from?

If thou are pained by any external thing, it is not the thing that disturbs thee, but thine own judgment about it. And it is in thy power to wipe out this judgment now. (Marcus Aurelius, quoted in Beck, 1976, p. 263)

...It's you who has built the expectation, not MiniIO, for it exists only in your mind.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#539

Post by Mawr »

quietbritishjim wrote: post #156
Tepix wrote: post #12

It's an Open Source project - I don't understand what people are complaining about. Noone is entitled to receive free Docker images. I'm sure if there is enough demand, someone else who is trustworthy will step up and automate building them. What I'd like to complain about instead is the pricing page on the Min.io webpage - it doesn't list any pricing. Looking at https://cloudian.com/blog/minios-ui-removal-leaves-org…

Certainly, there are some pretty entitled people on that github issue. But this attitude is too far the other way. Fair enough, you are under no obligation to continue providing a free service. But isn't it fair to give a bit of notice before withdrawing it? Especially after doing it so consistently for so long. Not legally required, sure, but polite. They haven't even given notice after withdrawing it! They just wai…

> They haven't even given notice after withdrawing it!

Beggars can't be choosers. It's not fair to not give notice before no longer providing something for free? Come on now.

Re: MinIO stops distributing free Docker images

#540

Post by Dylan16807 »

sarchertech wrote: post #306
skeeter2020 wrote: post #231

Earlier quoted context omitted.

OK - I live in a place that's snowy for a lot of the year. I shovel not only my sidewalk but my neighbours' several houses on both sides. People are really happy and grateful. Over the years Mr. Johnson the senior on a fixed pension next door loses mobility and is really appreciative I keep his walk clean. The couple next to him has a new baby and a clear sidewalk helps them load up all the accompanying gear into the…

We had some neighbors that used it throw a big Halloween celebration. They gave out drinks and snacks, dressed up in very elaborate costumes, setup movies on outdoor projectors, and do hayrides. They didn’t do it last year. I was disappointed, but I’m not angry at them. I realize that they were spending a lot of time and energy and maybe they are just burned out. I’m sure there are people who are angry and judge them…

If people were depending on the party for very important things, and the neighbors encouraged it, and gave no warning, then it would be fine to get angry.
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