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Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

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Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#71

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They absolutely do NOT mean the same thing. There is open source software that requires payment to obtain. There is open source software that you are not free to do whatever you want with (non-libre) There is software available at no cost which is neither open source or libre. Just about every permutation of these 3 concepts has some actual example in the real world. Please do not promote the idea that they are in an…

What is an example of open source software that is not libre? Like the other commenter said, the F in F(L)OSS does mean free as in speech, not necessarily free as in beer.

> What is an example of open source software that is not libre?

One example I am familiar with is an (old) project called LinuxSampler. It was (probably incorrectly) licensed GPL+modification clause that prevented its use in any commercial hardware project.

There have been some other projects that are released under what might be termed "GPL-but-no-military-use".

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is an example of open source software that is not libre? Like the other commenter said, the F in F(L)OSS does mean free as in speech, not necessarily free as in beer.

People disagree about this. If F is for free as in speech, what is the L for? I've been in the GNU/libre/open source world since 1986. My experience is that the L (for libre) was added specifically because the english "Free" is ambiguous and too often interpreted as without-cost/free-as-in-beer/gratis.

Libre more specifically means the GNU licenses, as GNU didn't like that licenses like MIT were being called FOSS, as they don't preserve user freedoms like (A|L)GPL do.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What is an example of open source software that is not libre? Like the other commenter said, the F in F(L)OSS does mean free as in speech, not necessarily free as in beer.

> What is an example of open source software that is not libre? One example I am familiar with is an (old) project called LinuxSampler. It was (probably incorrectly) licensed GPL+modification clause that prevented its use in any commercial hardware project. There have been some other projects that are released under what might be termed "GPL-but-no-military-use".

Then they're not really open source then? Incorrectly licensing them doesn't actually mean they're open source.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What is an example of open source software that is not libre? One example I am familiar with is an (old) project called LinuxSampler. It was (probably incorrectly) licensed GPL+modification clause that prevented its use in any commercial hardware project. There have been some other projects that are released under what might be termed "GPL-but-no-military-use".

Then they're not really open source then? Incorrectly licensing them doesn't actually mean they're open source.

Unless you insist that open source means "there can be absolutely no limits whatsoever on the use of the source code" (which is not an unreasonable position), then they still fit into many people's sense of open source - they can do anything they would want to do with it.

The people I know who have added clauses like this do not believe they are breaking the spirit of open source; I'm not here to insist that they are right or wrong.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

People disagree about this. If F is for free as in speech, what is the L for? I've been in the GNU/libre/open source world since 1986. My experience is that the L (for libre) was added specifically because the english "Free" is ambiguous and too often interpreted as without-cost/free-as-in-beer/gratis.

Libre more specifically means the GNU licenses, as GNU didn't like that licenses like MIT were being called FOSS, as they don't preserve user freedoms like (A|L)GPL do.

This is absolutely not the history I have lived through.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#76
post #40

This app seems to require a server. Invoke the app, and it presents a login screen, with links to "register" and to "use custom server". I suppose an alternative design would be to be on-device storage first, and then have an optional sync to a server (or laptop/desktop).

That's what "self hosted" usually means.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#77
post #40

This app seems to require a server. Invoke the app, and it presents a login screen, with links to "register" and to "use custom server". I suppose an alternative design would be to be on-device storage first, and then have an optional sync to a server (or laptop/desktop).

Indeed, this should be local first software [0], not self-hosted but server required. [0] localfirstweb.dev

Generally firebase / supabase do a very good job of providing client sdks to access database directly without the need of a server.

That way your data is still in cloud and you don't actually need a server.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#78

Stepping back a bit, we used to call these "programs". Why are they now "hosted"? I see this with recipe databases, fitness trackers, all sorts of things that have no reason to ever leave my laptop except when my backup job runs. What's the advantage of having the server and data on some device other than the one I'm using to interact with it?

Until and unless storing data locally is your USP, it can create issues as well for the developer

- They might have less control over the algorithms deployed on client side vs them being on the server. In case of android apps it is a hassle to get the users to upgrade the app. - In case there is a bug in the data I can't easily see the shape of the data and debug faster.

Probably in this case developer might be ambitious and would be thinking about adding extra features to their stack which would be potentially easy if algorithms and data is under their control.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#79
post #48
post #47

I tried to use it but I found the UI/UX confusing, with many exercises lacking images too. I support the idea but the workflow was not for me. I settled with Iron for iOS, which is also free software despite the platform it runs. Still looking for an equivalent on Android, the LiftLog app seems to have potential, but I think the UI is not that great.

I like Liftosaur, which appears to have an Android version on the Play store.

Tried a little bit, it seems nice, but it is a bity janky on iOS. Feels like I'm using a web app, and some features require subscription/account.

Re: Self hosted FLOSS fitness/workout tracker

#80

Stepping back a bit, we used to call these "programs". Why are they now "hosted"? I see this with recipe databases, fitness trackers, all sorts of things that have no reason to ever leave my laptop except when my backup job runs. What's the advantage of having the server and data on some device other than the one I'm using to interact with it?

To make it super easy to use the same "program" on your smartphone/tablet/laptop/desktop, wherever you are. And/or to simultaneously share access to it with friends/family. Yes, you can all just point a local app at a data share instead (the old way), but many apps aren't available across all these platforms to even make this possible across iOS, OSX, Linux, Android, and Windows, so this often doesn't work for a group of more than two people.
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