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Yup, just this week I noticed the npm package `core-js` used by the Babel transpiler was polluting my build logs. It listed opencollective and patreon as possi

Yup, just this week I noticed the npm package `core-js` used by the Babel transpiler was polluting my build logs. It listed opencollective and patreon as possible channels of support. That I didn't mind so much, but then there was a message (repeated countless times in the logs) that the author was looking for a job. That's just spam in my terminal, unacceptable. Background and heated discussion in the following GitHub issue (since closed without resolution): Get rid of postinstall message https://github.com/zloirock/core-js/issues/548 https://github.com/zloirock/core-js/issues/548 I believe some irate users reported it to NPM, which could have triggered or contributed to the policy decision to ban terminal ads.

duxup 7y ago
Interesting, thank you. I'm not heavy on the "hell i'll just import anything" kinda thing so I often feel immune to some of the random "omg this package" panic. But... Babel... that's some serious stuff once it hits there.
- depr 7y ago
  The serious stuff is that this library that's used in over 3 million projects according to Github, let alone projects that Github doesn't count, is only making the author a measly $200 on Patreon.
  - duxup 7y ago
    I think that's an interesting but any idea or solutions really seem ... worse to me. Including hitting up everyone's console all the time.
simplecomplex 7y ago
It’s not spam, anymore than your comment is. It’s a message from the author of the free software you’re using. Asking for a job. If that offends you you should get over yourself. How entitled and spoiled you are to think you should have a right to use their software for free and not be bothered by a short message from the author.
- duxup 7y ago
  Your comment seems unnecessarily confrontational. "to think you should have a right to use their software for free and not be bothered by a short message from the author" I don't know of any real rules about free software as far as what kind of messages someone should expect or shouldn't, but people can be bothered by it if they want.
  - simplecomplex 7y ago
    You’re bothered by seeing a message from the author of software you’re using for free (probably to make yourself money!). And you don’t see how that’s self-centered and entitled.
    - duxup 7y ago
      There's nothing about free software that I'm aware of that means you should or shouldn't like a message. We discuss our preferences for all sorts of things in software (free or otherwise) HN, all over the internet It's free software... pretty sure you're "entitled" to it, and can have opinions about it. Side note I don't know what people mean by "entitled" anymore, it's like a placeholder for an empty sentiment these days.
      - deleted 7y ago
        [deleted]
- Master_Odin 7y ago
  It is annoying to me that I see the same message three times. Showing these messages after npm install just does not scale in a useful way, especially as there might be important usage messages that do show up on installation.
- lioeters 7y ago
  I do understand your point of view, that free software can print any message in my terminal - or do whatever it wants, really, I'm using it for free and I have no right to complain. I wasn't really offended by it, my reaction was without (much) emotion. It was just based on my own standards of acceptable behavior that I expect from what runs in the terminal. There's a time and place for ads (not in my logs), or people posting personal messages (maybe link to their blog or site?).. Imagine if more package developers/maintainers decided to advertise in this way, it would ruin the calm and peace of working in the terminal.

duxup 7y ago

Interesting, thank you. I'm not heavy on the "hell i'll just import anything" kinda thing so I often feel immune to some of the random "omg this package" panic. But... Babel... that's some serious stuff once it hits there.

depr 7y ago
The serious stuff is that this library that's used in over 3 million projects according to Github, let alone projects that Github doesn't count, is only making the author a measly $200 on Patreon.
- duxup 7y ago
  I think that's an interesting but any idea or solutions really seem ... worse to me. Including hitting up everyone's console all the time.

simplecomplex 7y ago

It’s not spam, anymore than your comment is. It’s a message from the author of the free software you’re using. Asking for a job. If that offends you you should get over yourself. How entitled and spoiled you are to think you should have a right to use their software for free and not be bothered by a short message from the author.

duxup 7y ago
Your comment seems unnecessarily confrontational. "to think you should have a right to use their software for free and not be bothered by a short message from the author" I don't know of any real rules about free software as far as what kind of messages someone should expect or shouldn't, but people can be bothered by it if they want.
- simplecomplex 7y ago
  You’re bothered by seeing a message from the author of software you’re using for free (probably to make yourself money!). And you don’t see how that’s self-centered and entitled.
  - duxup 7y ago
    There's nothing about free software that I'm aware of that means you should or shouldn't like a message. We discuss our preferences for all sorts of things in software (free or otherwise) HN, all over the internet It's free software... pretty sure you're "entitled" to it, and can have opinions about it. Side note I don't know what people mean by "entitled" anymore, it's like a placeholder for an empty sentiment these days.
    - deleted 7y ago
      [deleted]
Master_Odin 7y ago
It is annoying to me that I see the same message three times. Showing these messages after npm install just does not scale in a useful way, especially as there might be important usage messages that do show up on installation.
lioeters 7y ago
I do understand your point of view, that free software can print any message in my terminal - or do whatever it wants, really, I'm using it for free and I have no right to complain. I wasn't really offended by it, my reaction was without (much) emotion. It was just based on my own standards of acceptable behavior that I expect from what runs in the terminal. There's a time and place for ads (not in my logs), or people posting personal messages (maybe link to their blog or site?).. Imagine if more package developers/maintainers decided to advertise in this way, it would ruin the calm and peace of working in the terminal.