Open source projects are bad FOSS if they minify .js and .css files?

dedec0 · 11-11-2021, 10:25 PM

Open source projects are bad FOSS if they minify .js and .css files?

I have a poor knowledge in javascript, and a small knowledge in Cascading Style Sheets. But I have found a project that is open source, but has a main part which is javascript. But this javascript file has a name similar to core.min.js . And the CSS files are also minified.

Is there a way to see the original files with open source projects? Or should I use a solution equal or similar to what is described in this StackOverflow question?

NevemTeve · 11-12-2021, 12:09 AM

I think you mean obfuscation or some sort of compression (e.g. leave unnecessary whitespaces).
By definition such obfuscated/compressed files aren't source-file (as they are generated programmaticaly from the source) so maybe these projects aren't open source on the first place.

dedec0 · 11-12-2021, 06:42 AM

The project says it is open source, and it has its source (or part of it, given those *.min.* files) stored in sourceforge.net and github too.

The project in question is phpFreeChat.

dedec0 · 11-12-2021, 06:45 AM

I wanted to adjust and change some detail of the project, but they are generated by the javascript, so, it is just locked, for me. The only way found is doing something like those suggested in that StackOverflow question, before.

boughtonp · 11-12-2021, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dedec0

I have a poor knowledge in javascript, and a small knowledge in Cascading Style Sheets. But I have found a project that is open source, but has a main part which is javascript. But this javascript file has a name similar to core.min.js . And the CSS files are also minified.

The source code for phpFreeChat is not minified (except for two third-party libraries) - that step occurs in the build process.

It would be easy enough to edit the Makefile to change this into simple concatenation.

NevemTeve · 11-12-2021, 07:03 AM

I've just downloaded the source from github (git@github.com:kerphi/phpfreechat.git) and found these files:

Code:

./client/lib/jquery-1.8.2.min.js
./client/lib/less-1.3.0.min.js
./client/lib/less-1.3.1.min.js

Are you referring to these? I'd say they aren't part of this project, just used as external libraries.

dedec0 · 11-12-2021, 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boughtonp

The source code for phpFreeChat is not minified (except for two third-party libraries) - that step occurs in the build process.

It would be easy enough to edit the Makefile to change this into simple concatenation.

Then I did not understand where and how the project is works. My starting point is a working setup of it. In the HTML source, I see ../client/jquery.phpfreechat.min.js

So, I searched for this file in the source directory, and it is there. I searched other files with "phpfreechat" in them:

Code:

./examples/theme_phpfreechat.html
./client/themes/default/jquery.phpfreechat.min.css
./client/themes/carbon/jquery.phpfreechat.min.css
./client/themes/gamer/jquery.phpfreechat.min.css
./client/themes/phpfreechat
./client/themes/phpfreechat/jquery.phpfreechat.min.css
./client/jquery.phpfreechat.min.js

Now... I did not look in the Makefile... let me do that... just a few minutes.

boughtonp · 11-12-2021, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dedec0

My starting point is a working setup of it.

For some software, the distribution/release is also the source, but that's often not the case.

Generally the readme* should make this clear - the one for phpfreechat is distinctly lacking in that respect.

*(or various uppercased-filename text files in some older projects)

dedec0 · 11-12-2021, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NevemTeve

I've just downloaded the source from github (git@github.com:kerphi/phpfreechat.git) and found these files:

Code:

./client/lib/jquery-1.8.2.min.js
./client/lib/less-1.3.0.min.js
./client/lib/less-1.3.1.min.js

Are you referring to these? I'd say they aren't part of this project, just used as external libraries.

No. I was referring to the js and css files that have "phpfreechat" in their names, which I listed in the other post.

dedec0 · 11-12-2021, 08:03 AM

A makefile more complex than what I can understand, in a few aspects. I will look at it more calmly. I need more time to clean and/or make it easier to read and understand, each step.

If any of you make a comment that can be useful as what the project's README.md lacks, in aspects of who develops things for it, will be much welcome. I will use use it, and give the credits, of course.

dugan · 11-12-2021, 09:18 AM

Whoa there are a LOT of ads on their homepage…

Anyway, the js files in their GitHib repo aren’t minified.

dedec0 · 11-12-2021, 09:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dugan

Whoa there are a LOT of ads on their homepage.

9 years of ad revenue based on abandoned open source project, maybe?