Thanks for the feedback. My $0.02:
I think
common-lisp.net should indeed support project websites with their repositories hosted on github/bitbucket/sourceforge, but if volunteer administrators (currently led by Erik H) are willing to support repository hosting directly on
common-lisp.net then why would we not want that as well?
Already there are hundreds of projects hosted at
common-lisp.net and it will be less disruptive for them to get consolidated under gitlab than force all of them to relocate to another site entirely.
A bit further down the road, I have hopes that
common-lisp.net will be able to offer CL-specific services, for example:
o private-repository hosting (paid)
o source escrow services (paid)
o online automated build verifications with multiple CL implementations (including defined Quicklisp snapshots), connected with the two items above
o online automated regression testing (connected with above)
o support for CL-based web application deployment and hosting (paid for proprietary, free for open-source). Eventually all of
common-lisp.net itself should be set up as a CL-based web application.
I would contend that such services can only be delivered effectively from a CL-focused perspective, not by melding into and depending everything on whatever generic, commodity "cloud" services are currently popular.
With a combination of recurring donations plus paid services like these, my hope is that
common-lisp.net can continue to be a viable and self-sustaining service as well as focal point for CL-related resources.
I'll go on record and say that Genworks would be at least one paying customer for services such as what I've listed above.
Best Regards,
Dave