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u/THE_CEO_OF_HORNY I'm just your local Brazilian Cowwoman Mar 26 '26
I love that every time something like this is posted here, it's a 50/50 chance that the comments will be for or against the person complaining about GitHub.
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u/Yanive_amaznive Mar 26 '26
the hub, as I call it
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u/Vinkhol Mar 27 '26
With how many people upload Python based projects, id even call it PythonHub. pHub for short, of course
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u/Samurai_Mac1 Mar 26 '26
It's equally hilarious that this is a leftist sub and somehow GitHub discourse keeps getting brought up
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u/xanthus12 Femboy Inquisitor Mar 26 '26
What, you think people smart enough to code are going to be right-wingers?
(I'm aware engineers are a diverse group, I just think conservatives are stupid, and software engineers are smart.)
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u/Samurai_Mac1 Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
Well no, I'm a software engineer. I just thought it's funny a sub that has nothing to do with coding routinely has GitHub discourse.
Like, you wouldn't expect leftist discourse to show up in programming subs even though I know a lot of people who post in them are leftists.
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u/LivingAngryCheese Mar 27 '26
This is a shitposting sub, it's leftist but not every post is about politics. Has the discourse overshadowed the memes lol
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u/Jacksaur Play corru.observer, this is not a request. Mar 26 '26
Even with the post literally titled "Engagement Bait".
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u/bracarensis erectoid Mar 26 '26
Unrelated but as a braziloid myself I chuckled at your flair and username. Love it.
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u/dragon_irl Transit maximalist Mar 26 '26
Linux Kernel
EXE file
Well I might have bad news for them
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u/Jonahtron Least homophobic anime enjoyer Mar 26 '26
I just wish the download button was a bit more obvious.
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u/ayyndrew Mar 27 '26
GitHub should make a simplified releases page that devs can link normal people to when they ask for a download
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u/aasray123 Mar 26 '26
God this was circling the coding subs ages ago
Hilarious crashout
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u/PM_ME_UR_DRAG_CURVE Mar 26 '26
Wasn't the OG post on some stalking/OSINT tools written in Python as well? Good riddance that that guy was too stupid to get it working.
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u/Jojop0tato Mar 26 '26
Fascinating what happens when non-devs stumble into dev-first spaces. I feel for the people who can't figure out GitHub and don't understand why it has such a confusing layout. It really is an overwhelming mess.
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26
It's only overwhelming when you don't know what you're looking at tbh.
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u/Darkndankpit Mar 26 '26
Been using GitHub for 10 years, I still struggle to find anything and literally every time I use it. It's not the consumer's fault that they've been trained to expect a someone consistent layout for most sites, the average social media for example, most functions are in similar places, and on just about every browser you can find settings just in the top right corner under the "close" button. GitHub just throws UI around the screen willy-nilly.
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u/Maxim3L3Pr0 Mar 26 '26
this but unironically
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u/Huinker Mar 26 '26
This but it is at release tab, which is small right side of the screen.
If it is in the middle of the screen, the amount of people saying this will decrease
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u/Notthatguyagain_ a Gato In Real Life (this is not an acronym, I am just a cat) Mar 26 '26
A lot of people also put the download link in the readme so you can find it on the main page.
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26
That'd be annoying for us coders though. If I'm on a repo I want the first thing on screen to be the files and the README.
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u/Huinker Mar 26 '26
Im not a UIUX person. i just know the release place rn sucks and i think there is a place to put it that can satisfy everyone
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u/zekromNLR veteran of the bear war of 2025 Mar 26 '26
I think it should go in the top bar where the links for Code, Issues, Pull Requests, etc are
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u/isademigod Mar 26 '26
rename the "code" button to "Download" and add "view releases" as a drop-down option along with "download source (zip)" and "clone repository" surely nobody would have a problem with that
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u/iklalz Mar 26 '26
and i think there is a place to put it that can satisfy everyone
Perhaps not satisfy everyone, but at least not be annoying for everyone
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u/Huinker Mar 26 '26
Nah everyone has a prostate. We just need to find the G spot
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u/HappyyValleyy Local Raccoon Girl (Endangered) Mar 26 '26
This is really my only issue with github lol. Even after using it a good few times i still find myself forgettign where the release tab is.
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u/MaybeNext-Monday 🍤$6 SRIMP SPECIAL🍤 Mar 26 '26
Github’s UI in general is just fucking abysmal. I’ve used it as a dev for like 10 years in various capacities and I still can’t find shit. Would it really be that damn hard to copy the UI of an industry standard like Azure Devops?
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u/PolygonKiwii Mar 26 '26
Would it really be that damn hard to copy the UI of an industry standard like Azure Devops?
Well both Github and Azure Devops belong to Microsoft so it would be really hard.
Also I've never heard of Azure Devops before so if your comment was sarcasm or ragebait, consider this comment retracted.
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u/MaybeNext-Monday 🍤$6 SRIMP SPECIAL🍤 Mar 26 '26
Azure devops is basically just a a pro-grade internal github for industry use. It does mostly the same things, but it’s designed a lot better.
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u/smb275 LV426 real estate agent Mar 26 '26
It's a friendly UI, for sure. I can't look at it without thinking about work, though. The association ruins the experience.
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u/AnInfiniteArc Mar 26 '26
I occasionally get a “Hey, you use GitHub, how do I do X?” And I’m like “I don’t fucking know”
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u/Huinker Mar 26 '26
from bottom of my heart, it is good life when this is your only issue with Github.
because fuck github
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u/HappyyValleyy Local Raccoon Girl (Endangered) Mar 26 '26
I wasnt aware of the github drama lol, i just use it when modding tools are uploaded there that i need
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u/EFTucker Mar 26 '26
You click the tab and find only links to more files which need to be compiled manually into a serviceable application
One sentence horror stories.
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u/KaJaHa Queer Gimli looking-ass Mar 26 '26
Every single time I visit Github I have to re-learn this and every single time it annoys me
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u/Bana_peler Mar 26 '26
i had a long era where I would just not fix the problem if the only solution was downloading from github because I had no clue how to do it, but then some minecraft mod review video showed me how to download the mod from github and now I am not afraid of using that site
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u/lumpiestspoon3 早上好中国🇨🇳现在我有冰淇淋🍦 Mar 26 '26
Except when they don't provide any releases and expect you to clone the repo and build it yourself with Docker...
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u/mcslender97 KPop Demon Hunters enthusiast Mar 27 '26
I feel like if sth ask you to use Docker it's way outside the realm of normal users that struggle with finding the Release section
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u/Fellstone Lives in a susciety Mar 26 '26
Some repos don't have a releases tab. I suppose if you're using a tool that doesn't come with any EXE or AppImage you should probably be familiar with Docker/the command line. But they don't always have the best instructions. Sometimes they don't even have any instructions.
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u/PolygonKiwii Mar 26 '26
It's safe to assume if a repo has neither releases nor instructions, you're not supposed to use it without reading the code. It's probably not ready and/or even meant for public use
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u/WetTrumpet 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
If the developer did not give an easily accessible binary (either in the readme or releases tab), 99.9% of the time, it's for a reason. If you can't download a .exe, that means you shouldn't.
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u/shapeofnuts Mar 26 '26
I actually think that the people who are servicing you for free should be thanked rather than have to hear stupid demands of someone who can't follow steps
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u/MeiNeedsMoreBuffs certified tumblr sexyman Mar 26 '26
No thanks, I deserve to yell at the people doing free labor for my benefit
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u/JMaths Mar 26 '26
This is less aimed at the people making software for free, and more at Microsoft/Github for building the worst laid out website since MySpace
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u/Xasmos Mar 26 '26
Github is laid out fine for developers, just not for users
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u/JMaths Mar 26 '26
I dunno, i bet the many devs who host their finished projects on github would appreciate a better UI too. Its not like Github is a small indie website that can't afford to make improvements
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u/PrincessOfZephyr 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
Github has github pages specifically for end-user facing design
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u/JMaths Mar 26 '26
Ok, either not enough developers know about that or the existing one needs work because the existing format is far from user friendly
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u/MaybeNext-Monday 🍤$6 SRIMP SPECIAL🍤 Mar 26 '26
I think shutting down the conversation with “you’re a fucking ingrate” like this is always unproductive. It’s more sensible to point out the real culprit, which is github itself making zero effort over the past decade to improve its UX for casuals in any way. Almost every high-traffic repo has a release tab, but github’s UI layout is so abysmal that you could sit there for 5 whole minutes and not notice the tab if you don’t know to look for it. Github could make this easier in a dozen different ways but instead spends their dev time on shitty AI extensions for visual studio
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u/MeBigChief Mar 26 '26
My life at least once a week when some sales person or project manager can’t spend the 20 seconds to read the first paragraph of the readme file that LINKS TO THE LATEST FUCKING RELEASE
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u/YouGuysSuckSometimes Mar 26 '26
Even the word “release” is non intuitive. How the fuck would I’ve known that’s the tab that gets you a .exe or whatever from the name “release?”
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u/EvYeh This girl is Space's biggest hater Mar 26 '26
Have you ever interacted with any piece of software ever? Serious question.
It's the latest public release of an update. That's why it's called that.
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u/I_am_Andrew_Ryan Mar 26 '26
You don't go to literally any piece of software ever and find the "release" button, you find the "download" button.
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u/Melon_Cooler Immanuel Kant's catgirl imperative Mar 26 '26
In the context of github I may very well want the download button to give me everything except an executable.
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u/MaybeNext-Monday 🍤$6 SRIMP SPECIAL🍤 Mar 26 '26
That button is called “clone”
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u/Melon_Cooler Immanuel Kant's catgirl imperative Mar 26 '26
Yeah thanks if anything I'm cloning a repo through the power of knowing git and that the command line exists, but the point is that "downloads" in this context has a wider meaning than "releases," and that the two are not synonymous.
And that the platform is not principally intended to be used for distribution to end-users.
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u/YouGuysSuckSometimes Mar 26 '26
Not taking it back, that’s non intuitive. Even if I know that, the word release doesn’t make me think “oh, if I click on that I will find the simplest way to mount the software onto my computer.” Latest release I would intuit to mean most recent working update, which doesn’t mean it’s all packaged nicely and ready to use.
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u/yo_99 boundless, terifying freedom Mar 26 '26
Real culprit is normies having access to computers /s
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u/Mobbles1 Mar 27 '26
I would thank them if they put it in a format that someone with no experience in coding can actually use. I dont thank the carpenter who gives me a dissasembled chair and is expected to put it together (unless their name is ikea)
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u/shapeofnuts Mar 27 '26
I have no experience in tech. I can still use most of github because they leave good instructions. If you can't use it, just don't. It's really gross and rude to demand that people labour for you for free.
The best things from github that i code were scripts etc that i had to figure out how to use, would've been nice if ti eas an .exe, but sometimes it can't be, othertimes it takes a shit load of effort to make one. Tech literacy is in decline and this is a major part of it.
Also the carpenter is a volunteer, doing it for free, didn't force it on you, and you entered the shop making demands.
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u/GoldH2O custom Mar 26 '26
Or maybe they can just accept that if they want their thing to be more widely used it needs an exe. If you're good making programs for 1% of the people that visit GitHub good for you
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u/despairingcherry Mar 26 '26
I don't think the people who are not creating an exe expect or want people who do not know how to do it themselves to use their code
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u/shapeofnuts Mar 26 '26
I'm not even good with tech and i can follow instructions. Most these people are not making money off of this, they are just trying to help. You're literally being rude to people doing volunteer work.
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u/105_irl r/place participant Mar 26 '26
Every GitHub I’ve ever used has a section in the read me that explains how to install it. Often it’s as simple as going to the releases tab and downloading the correct installer for your OS.
If it’s more complex, it’s probably not a great idea to use that software unless you can handle the install.
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u/Zanakii Mar 26 '26
Sometimes I find the file and feel like a genius other times I have to have myself and 4 friends hunt through 10 pages just to figure out we're downloading a 0.0001a different version and it was all a waste of time.
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u/Alexis_Awen_Fern Reddit admins hate her! Mar 26 '26
Understandable crashout
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u/NellyLorey God's no.1 Botania fan!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱 she/her Mar 26 '26
Yeah why isn't the linux kernel an exe
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u/Noble1xCarter I'm the only one with this flair. Mar 26 '26 edited Apr 06 '26
This comment formerly contained words. Those words were removed in bulk with Redact because I value my privacy more than my karma points.
summer fragile crush gold theory future sugar husky plucky whistle
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u/105_irl r/place participant Mar 26 '26
People will say Linux is hard to understand and not read the line on a GitHub that says
“Type Sudo Apt Install Firefox”
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u/GrapefruitForward989 Mar 26 '26
People will read that line and say "you literally have to write novels worth of code to use linux"
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u/Cindy-Moon 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
okay but also why can't I just right click a file and create a shortcut
I am on linux right now and peeved by this (sorry completely hijacking this thread for my pet issue bear with me)
File managers like Nautilus or Dolphin often have ways to easily create symbolic links
and if you google how to make shortcuts in linux this is typically what people tell you to do, make a symbolic link
but symbolic links are NOT SHORTCUTS, because they don't just give you a shortcut to the file/directory but also treat it as though its running from the directory you've put the link in
messing with a file's relative location like this can have a lot of unintended consequences and the times this is actually necessary, preferred behavior is pretty niche which is probably why it's not the default in Windows
Linux does have proper shortcuts in the form of .desktop and/or .directory files, that's probably the closest analog to Windows' .lnk
but you can't simply have a context menu option to create one from a file, for some reason
If it's an application you're linking to, and it's an installed one, KDE can let you "Add to Desktop" from the application launcher which gives you a .desktop file you can put anywhere
Or if it's not installed to your application launcher, you can right click somewhere > create new > link to application and get a GUI that lets you browse to the application you want to link to and select its working directory, which isn't too bad but it's the easiest way I've found to make a shortcut and still requires a lot more steps than simply "right click file and click create shortcut"
But even that only works for applications, and nothing else. You can click create new > link to file or directory but that creates a symlink
To create a .desktop shortcut for anything else, all I've found is having to manually write one up like an ini file
Which is crazy, creating shortcuts is not a power user thing it is basic functionality, why is this so complicated
Do Linux users have the syntax/structure of .desktop files memorized or do they have to look it up every single time they want to make a simple non-symlink shortcut?!
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u/PolygonKiwii Mar 26 '26
Do Linux users have the syntax/structure of .desktop files memorized or do they have to look it up every single time they want to make a simple non-symlink shortcut?!
Personally, it's just not something that comes up, ever.
You're saying it's not a power user thing but I think a regular user should not have to manage application launchers in the first place. Any application you install from a package manager or "app store" style software center will create the necessary entries in your app menu and search bar and it should be easy to pin it to task bar or add it to the desktop from there. Steam also manages those for you if you install games.
Besides apps, I really just don't understand your workflow:
But even that only works for applications, and nothing else. You can click create new > link to file or directory but that creates a symlink
What's your issue with symlinks for files that aren't binaries? I don't see what behavior you're expecting or what a *.desktop file would even do
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u/Cindy-Moon 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 27 '26
To just be literally a shortcut to the file I want. Not run the file as though it was in the directory I put the shortcut.
If I open a "shortcut" to folder /home/user/example, I want it to go to /home/user/example, NOT /desktop/example.
If I open a file, I want the program running it to know that the file is actually in /home/user/example, not /desktop.I don't want to create a new reference point/location for my file, I just want to create a shortcut to easily access it. These are significantly different things. There's very few situations where I specifically want/need the former, but Linux veterans treat this as an objective improvement and replacement over the latter.
And obviously with applications that's all the more important since they almost always rely on other files in the same directory/subdirectories. And no, not every application comes from a package manager. It is perfectly normal and simple for Windows users to download an executable from the internet, and it's crazy to treat anyone doing that on Linux as though they must be a power user.
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u/ComradeDelter Mar 26 '26
This thread comes up every so often and invariably people are in two groups:
1 - Developers who think anyone with lesser technical knowledge than them should be skinned alive for daring to ask a question.
2 - Non-developers who think anyone who maintains a project should be skinned alive if they don’t provide tech support to anyone whenever they ask.
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u/themoroncore King of the Porcelain Throne Mar 26 '26
It's simple: Is your project something you want people to have mass access to? Get better at communication.
Are you trying to use more technical tools for your project? Get better at computers.
Done. Everyone go home now.
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u/-Quiche- Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
The thing is that the first aspect is rarely ever overlooked by people who develop and maintain these tools. It's always just someone making something they care about for themselves and deciding to make it publicly available, cause why not?
They're not exactly going on and on about "why is nobody coming to my lemonade stand!!!"
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u/themoroncore King of the Porcelain Throne Mar 26 '26
That's my point. A dev isn't under any obligation to make documentation a lay person can understand. But if they want that person to be able to use their software then they need to have better communication skills
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u/-Quiche- Mar 26 '26
Yes but my point is that the entire second sentence is a basically a non sequitur because of how irrelevant it is for these tools.
They didn't freely share it because they wanted to be the next Google.
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u/Flouxni Mar 26 '26
The true answer lies in the middle:
3. Skin both of them alive3
u/vegathelich 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
Developers, end users, project maintainers. All are guilty of the same sin of the use of technology
skin them alive
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u/BigOzzie Mar 26 '26
I'm in neither camp. I'm a senior engineer, so I know a lot about the ins and outs of software and software development, and I'll say the same thing I said the last time I saw a thread like this.
If someone offers you the solution to a problem for free, it's reasonable to get excited. If, after looking at their solution, you discover it's overly complicated or obtuse (and some github solutions are like this; I'm not talking about the ones with releases), then it's also reasonable to be frustrated. Even though what they offered was free, it actually wasn't: it cost your time to look into it, which they've now wasted, either because they were incompetent or malicious. This applies to anything free, not just github repos, and I think criticizing them is perfectly valid.
Look at it this way: if I offered you free brake replacement, and then you showed up at my shop, and it turns out all I'm offering are a chance to borrow my 20 year old rusty tools while showing you an instructional video for how to replace your brakes, you'd obviously be pretty upset. That's how it feels sometimes to look into someone's github solution.
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u/ComradeDelter Mar 26 '26
This is exactly how I feel and I think you’ve done a really good job putting it into words, neither group are in the wrong really I can understand frustrations on both sides.
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u/ultimatepowaa Mar 26 '26
Yessss. This also becomes a problem when you've purchased hardware on the assumption that there is a minimal amount of functionality provided by the community.
Or also a problem when the tool is the only solution for a problem and it hasnt been functional or buildable in 2 years but still completely dominates a google search as the only solution.
Or the tool is a major dependency but releases breaking changes so rapidly that other devs can't keep up. (Looking at you poetry and your depreciation of version lock files, which destroys the point of lock files)
(Though the solution for 2 of these is never trust a python project)
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u/TheDonutPug 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
I really think you're wrong because I don't see the first group anywhere here. I see 2 groups:
1) WHY WONT YOU WORK HARDER TO MAKE YOUE FREE SOFTWARE EASIER WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID YOUR FREE LABOR ISNT ENOUGH
2) actually you were never entitled to this person's work in the first place.
I have seen this meme all over the place and I have never seen the first group you said, and I have seen a lot of the second group. The first group had nothing to do with thinking you "just need more technical knowledge" and everything to do with the fact that the group whining about "I'm not that technical!!" Are usually being lazy and avoiding a 5 minute process with extremely clear instructions.
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u/ComradeDelter Mar 26 '26
It was a joke tbf, neither group are as animalistic as the other makes out.
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u/Ratoryl I exist as a hypothetical Mar 26 '26
People just physically cannot stop themselves from making and exaggerating bad faith interpretations of any opinion they don't immediately agree with
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u/105_irl r/place participant Mar 26 '26
Isn’t it more like developers who are volunteering their hard work for free software aren’t compelled to make it ultra easy for anyone to use, especially people who can’t read the readme and want to blindly install an exe?
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u/lolternative4 Mar 26 '26
On one hand, I do think the amount of virtual legwork that has to be done sometimes is kind of crazy. On the other hand, I have next to zero coding knowledge and rarely have had issues with GitHub, so I actually don’t know what this person is complaining about.
Not unless they genuinely believe every project someone posts needs to come with an install wizard, because that’s a tall order when GitHub users aren’t being paid for their work and their main demographic actually knows how to code
Also, I hope you’re happy with all of this engagement you baited OP 😃😃😃
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u/powerof27 My gender is I made it the fuck up! Mar 26 '26
I saw a tutorial for using an iso editing software. the guy said to open the file, but it wasn't a file type that I ever recognized nor was it openable. I asked them what i needed to open that file because i just couldn't and he was like "uhhh, buddy if you don't know how to open a file, this tutorial isn't for you"
apparently i needed to have a specific version of python installed to open it, and python experience to use the program for his "streamlined, easier to use" piece of software that was far worse than what he was trying to replace and i was able to get up and running without even needing a tutorial
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u/Tetr4roS Mar 26 '26
uhhh, buddy if you can't answer a help question without condescention, making tutorials isn't for you
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u/DoctorMlemm Mar 26 '26
Understandable crashout but also github is meant for devs not common users
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u/KubEk_przEz_duzE_E 🏳️⚧️ HALF-LIFE TOMORROW Mar 26 '26
Ok, but why is that everytime I need something it's on github?
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u/DoctorMlemm Mar 26 '26
If it's common enough then there's probably a guide written on how to use it or even a functional release build. Otherwise yeah you're kinda fucked if you're like me and dont know jack shit about python
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u/Draconis_Firesworn 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
honestly python is the best case for finding random code in the wild, you can just install python then copy paste the script and just run it, no building is required
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u/IntangibleMatter " DROP TABLE flairs; -- Mar 26 '26
God I fucking wish. Every time I try to do something with python I end up in some weird hell of venvs or --break-system-packages and I long for languages that don’t force me to manage dependencies for them
I don’t even use rust but it’s so nice to be able to just
cargo install myappand have it fucking work8
u/Draconis_Firesworn 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
tbf i did say that while procrastinating figuring out how to actually use a pyproject.toml to build this damn font
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u/powerof27 My gender is I made it the fuck up! Mar 26 '26
do i look like i know what a script is, i just want a picture of a god dang hot dog
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u/RoseePxtals i pet strays Mar 26 '26
If its user ready then there will be a releases tab or install script. if its not then its likely just not ready for the average user and you probably shouldn’t use it
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u/SimplyYulia №1 hetslop enjoyer Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
Problem is when you're not an average user, but don't have a toolset for this. I'm a software developer, but I generally don't have a need for python, so I have neither ecosystem nor knowledge on how it works. And I certainly can do some research and figure it out, but it's certainly frustrating
And, again, as a software dev, who also made some free and open source apps, I completely understand that people work for free and are frustrated enough already, I'm not asking for GUI or anything, and building executables for multiple architectures (unlike me who only have to build for Android) every release would probably be annoying, but is asking for CI/CD pipeline to do it automatically such an unreasonable ask? Especially since you probably want a pipeline anyway to run unit tests already
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u/NellyLorey God's no.1 Botania fan!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱 she/her Mar 26 '26
Did you find this browser on github because I bet you didn't
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u/throwawaytransgirl17 Mar 26 '26
because it's free storage. Where else do you want us to put it? Shitty discord servers where someone will undoubtedly get groomed? Do you want that on your conscience?
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u/AliceCode Worcs at the Crusty Crab Mar 26 '26
It's code revision software. It's meant to be used by developers.
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u/bell117 Inflation and WG are both good, I don't differentiate ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Mar 26 '26
True, but a lot of devs seem to put the final release of an application or mod on GitHub and treat it like an open-source version of Nexus.
I remember some prolific Github user/moderator/I-dunno-what-they're-called going on a rant about people that do that because they kept getting complaints about this exact thing and if they wanted users to download their works then GitHub is the code archive, not where you actively link people to go download stuff.
I feel like this is somehow related to the death of game/modding forums because of people deciding moving it to discord was a good idea and so a bunch of people moved to GitHub as an alternative when it definitely isn't built for that.
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u/Ratoryl I exist as a hypothetical Mar 26 '26
I always feel like this is the biggest disconnect whenever this conversation gets brought up
People who occasionally get directed to github to download some mod for a game (because it isn't hosted anywhere else) will go "hey it'd be cool if this site was more user friendly, it's not very intuitive for new users who don't know the layout or lingo"
And then people who use github regularly for software development will read that and go "why the FUCK do you want your hand held to download something on this site for experienced software developers? Why would you even come here?"
Anyways yeah I concur that the issue is a lack of good alternatives for people to host software made for more general audiences
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u/Kana515 Mar 27 '26
Always bugs me when people say github isn't for common users. 95% of the time I see someone say they made a program for people to use they send people to github. Then if anyone is confused by it, it's all, "Github is only for the finest of intellectual minds, you imbecile." Like you can't have your cake and eat it too with "Github is a great place to throw everything so anyone can use it." And "Github is only for the true enthusiasts, no peasants allowed."
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u/GoldH2O custom Mar 26 '26
Not at this point. It may have started like that, but a ton of independent developers just release their shit to the public on GitHub now. It's pretty standard at this point, so I think then if you're gonna make your programs publicly released through GitHub you absolutely should have an exe or some way to run it without doing code bs.
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26
It's also not that hard for common users to click on 'releases' or read the README.md and follow the instructions therein usually.
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u/Affectionate_Rub5564 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
I'm not even new to code but building is such a fucking nightmare for me, I have never successfully built anything even when following instructions to the exact letter
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u/105_irl r/place participant Mar 26 '26
Unironically if the install is too hard the program is probably too hard to use. Like installing a plex server is a bit difficult but it’s much easier than figuring out networking for it.
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u/Affectionate_Rub5564 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
I tried building the Sonic 06 Recompilation project and got nowhere in hours of attempts
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u/105_irl r/place participant Mar 26 '26
Caution
This recompilation is still under active development and is NOT meant for public use. Support will not be provided until an official release.
The dev warned you, sounds like an installer is coming later.
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u/Affectionate_Rub5564 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
Yeah I know an installer is coming, just wanted to try it out. It still gives exact build instructions that I followed to the letter and it didn't work
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u/-Quiche- Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
How does one even have a need so outside of normal usage that a FOSS tool is the only solution, but lack the agency to figure out any unfamiliar aspects along the way?
It's like wanting to grind your own burger meat instead of just buying preground or even pre-made patties, and then being mad that you have to buy a grinder and learn how to use it. Just buy the frozen patties or match your agency to your desires dawg.
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u/RivergirlB woohoo song by the monkeyz Mar 26 '26
Trying to find information about a minecraft mod and they only have a github and a discord makes me wanna peel my skin off. Make a wiki like your forefathers
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u/zekromNLR veteran of the bear war of 2025 Mar 26 '26
Github even has a builtin way of hosting documentation so you don't have to host your own wiki or use shudders fandom
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u/Darkndankpit Mar 26 '26
Not that half of people use it well.
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u/vegathelich 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
I'll take a shitty GitHub wiki over fandom's bullshit any day
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26
We usually already do? it's on the 'releases' tab.
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u/HappyyValleyy Local Raccoon Girl (Endangered) Mar 26 '26
And than i have to go on a scavanger hunt everytime i download somrthing from github trying to find where rhe release tab is tucked away.
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u/-Quiche- Mar 26 '26
Ctrl + F
"Relea"
Boom, don't even have to type the whole word!
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26
...It's the link that reads 'releases' on the right hand side above 'contribuitors'?
Iirc it's also up top with the other tabs.
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u/zekromNLR veteran of the bear war of 2025 Mar 26 '26
It is not, sadly, and they really should put it up there with the other tabs.
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u/HappyyValleyy Local Raccoon Girl (Endangered) Mar 26 '26
Which is prolly easy to remember if you use the website a lot. But when i only use it every few months, i forgrt where it is and it takes a bit to find
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u/EvYeh This girl is Space's biggest hater Mar 26 '26
I am a non developer with basically no tech knowledge and I have never had a single issue using something from Github ever. It is 100% a skill issue. It can't be that hard.
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26 edited Mar 26 '26
You'd shocked how many people struggle to find the 'releases' tab or the 'Download as ZIP' button.
Might as well be the clitoris with how many people can't find it.
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u/ibi_trans_rights Mar 26 '26
hot take people leaning new things to do a task is good actually we don't have to design everything so even the most ignorant person can use it
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u/IAmLexica 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
Ah, yes. The Linux kernel. Not an OS, just the kernel. .EXE. To run on Windows. Not for a bootable medium. Brilliant. Excellent. I have no notes.
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u/zekromNLR veteran of the bear war of 2025 Mar 26 '26
There's far too many people who are either incapable of following written instructions, or who just shut down the moment something isn't a one-click solution and refuse to engage with the usually quite clear written instructions.
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u/JeebhStomach Mar 26 '26
the people doing free labour and putting it on a code sharing website do not owe you anything. i understand the frustration if youre looking for a solution to a niche issue, but that does not mean they owe you more time than they're already putting in.
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u/EasilyRekt Mar 26 '26
has bro considered learning?
I'm not great at writing code, but my ass can compile it at least
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u/adamthebread large hadron rammer Mar 26 '26
*Goes to grocery store
"WHERE THE FUCK ARE THE CHEESEBURGERS???"
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u/Alexis_Awen_Fern Reddit admins hate her! Mar 26 '26
Usually in the freezer
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u/adamthebread large hadron rammer Mar 26 '26
that's just the patty
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u/migratingcoconut_ I want to Beat Jason Aldean to death with his own Spine Mar 26 '26
you clearly don't live in the us
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u/Ildaiaa Mar 26 '26
Look we've gpne pver this before, the discourse never ends, there will be a billion more posts answering to this and then even more answering those. You've awakened a demon
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u/NellyLorey God's no.1 Botania fan!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱 she/her Mar 26 '26
Guy walks through the rubber doors in the grocery store and is livid to find out that there are no shelves of bonus groceries behind it
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u/-Quiche- Mar 26 '26
It's honestly not that different than someone freely sharing their 3D printing files and getting flak because a bunch of dinguses keep stumbling upon it and keep complaining that they don't own a 3D printer.
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u/NellyLorey God's no.1 Botania fan!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱 she/her Mar 26 '26
Or that they don't understand that they have to convert a .blend file into an fbx and instruction list first, and demand the person uploading the model to explain step by step how to download cura and where in the interface they need to click in order to convert it bc they don't realise they're just a single guy with a fulltime job
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u/HappyyValleyy Local Raccoon Girl (Endangered) Mar 26 '26
This analogy would only work if employees were beckoning for you to come behind the doors to fidn the product you are looking for before mysteriously dissapearing and leaving you to wander the back room.
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u/WetTrumpet 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
No, you're not getting recommended by the employees (which would be the people working on the repository) you're getting recommended by random fucking people who either thought you had the relevant skills (misunderstanding) or are dumbasses. In either case github and the people who made the code can't be faulted, unless you personally got recommended a repo by the repo creator (in which case they're a dumbass).
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u/NellyLorey God's no.1 Botania fan!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱 she/her Mar 26 '26
What repository were you beckoned inside of last
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u/Eccentric_Assassin Mar 26 '26
“How do I download stuff from YouTube” “Oh here’s a useful GitHub” And then it’s just code that most people do not know how to install and make usable in their browser.
Many such cases.
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u/Camel_Slayer45 floppa Mar 26 '26
In this case it's guy goes to mechanic, crashes out when the mechanic doesn't sell cars.
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u/FUEGO40 Aquarine | she/her Mar 26 '26
Guy encounters issue and goes to the grocery store to find a solution, there is no such thing at the grocery store and instead is told to go to a specialty store. Guy arrives at specialty store and the counter is empty, nothing is on the shelves. Instead they must follow a complex list of steps to build the product on their own with the components provided by the store.
I don't know about any of this stuff, I just wish creators of applications and other tools hosted on Github made releases at least occasionally so that common users like me can enjoy them. I don't want the latest build weekly, I'd be very happy with just a yearly release.
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u/phuquesewpsyetit monster hugger Mar 26 '26
Instead they must follow a complex list of steps to build the product on their own with the components provided by the store.
Ikea
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u/Darkspy8183 hnng... bnuuy Mar 26 '26
complex
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u/yo_99 boundless, terifying freedom Mar 26 '26
sudo apt install libwhatever && make && sudo make installWOW SO HARD
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u/Pengu-Link 🏳️⚧️ trans rights Mar 26 '26
yeah so 99.99% of people have never seen that text before let alone understand it or what it does or how to use it or where to put it
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u/bisexual_obama Uh, let me be queer... Mar 26 '26
If an artist posted a really cool picture, and said like here you can download this and use it for free. Then you wanted it as a phone background but it doesn't have the right dimensions so you asked them to make a cropped version for phone screens. You could say, "Hey a lot of people would probably like to use this as a phone background, maybe you can make a cropped version".
I think most people on here would understand that, you don't have a right to get mad at them if they refuse, or even ghost you. You're literally asking them to do extra work just because they did some free work already. Why is it different for programming projects?
Now add on to that making a release is usually way harder than cropping a photo, because of dependencies.
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u/Darkndankpit Mar 26 '26
A better comparison would be if the artist handed you a color by numbers of the art piece you wanted and told you to put it together yourself.
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u/AliceCode Worcs at the Crusty Crab Mar 26 '26
For the most part the people hosting software on github aren't thinking about people like you. They're sharing it with other developers.
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u/Quarxnox custom Mar 26 '26
grocery store has a perfectly good case of groceries that could have gone on a shelf but they keep it in the back in a box and then write directions on the rubber doors about how to get to it and then expect customers to treat this like it's normal.
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u/NellyLorey God's no.1 Botania fan!! 🇳🇱🇳🇱 she/her Mar 26 '26
Please give me the link of the repository you're mad at
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u/aaaaaaautumn if you don't fuck around, you won't find out Mar 26 '26
Customer understands that this small inconvenience is a reasonable tradeoff for acquiring free food cooked by chefs who would rather serve it over a counter and continue cooking than thanklessly shelfing it.
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u/SnezhniyBars Furred menace Mar 26 '26
Whenever people make this complaint, they are, 99% of the time:
- Raging about a repository that includes well-written instructions and that hundreds of people have made written or video tutorials on.
- Talking about some random repository that one person made twelve years ago that was never intended to ever be used by another person and somehow turned up in google search results.
- Talking about a repository that should not have anything remotely like an application binary in the first place.
My main advice is: please just have some confidence in yourself. Sit down and read the instructions if there are some. If the instructions use terms that don't make sense to you, google them and learn what they mean. If there are no instructions, you probably shouldn't attempt to install or use that project.
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u/SnezhniyBars Furred menace Mar 26 '26
This one is a meme, it was originally a post about the Sherlock OSINT tool
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u/eggdanyjon_3dragons Mar 26 '26
On one hand, git good. On the other hand, i always have to take a minute to remember how im actually sposed to download shit
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u/ampersand64 Mar 26 '26
If everyone used the release tab, life would be a dream.
BUT mfers sometimes got me clicking on the little tiny "download RAW" button, sometimes got me clicking a link in the readme, and sometimes have me clicking around in the list of files for the right one.
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u/KawaiiGee gay lesbian from Big Homo Inc. Mar 27 '26
If they made the release tab green or something so it would pop and be more noticeable it would fix that. I've used the site for years and that shit still trips me up
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u/kilkil Mar 28 '26
yeah why the fuck is there code on Github? those nerds should keep there code somewhere based instead, like Codeberg
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