Remove GitLab CE from Distribution channels, leaving only source-code based install for CE.
What's this issue all about? (Background and context)
This issue is to gather feedback and ideas around removing GitLab CE from the various distribution channels (omnibus, docker-omnibus, aws ami, etc.). GitLab CE cannot add an EE license without a somewhat disruptive upgrade process. We should keep the "Install from Source" documentation and make it possible for those who want to ensure no proprietary code is in their installation, but make the easiest path to install via gitlab-ee
.
What hypotheses and/or assumptions do you have?
The assumption is that most customers, who are looking for "free GitLab" will install the Community Edition not realizing that GitLab EE can be installed without a license. After they install CE, they would need to upgrade to EE to start a trial.
What questions are you trying to answer?
- How many users would like to trial GitLab EE features but are discouraged by the upgrade process?
- How many users care about running CE (because it only contains the FOSS part of GitLab) vs. just wanting the free edition?
What research methodology do you intend to use?
- What if removed all binary distribution of GitLab CE (keeping install via source)?
- What if we updated references to Core Edition to point to Enterprise Edition named "Always Free" or "Forever Free".
If it's possible to measure the number of (new) CE server installs or downloads vs. the number of EE server installs. This would validate the trend of moving from CE to EE.
Secondarly, the number of free trials and/or purchases could be measured.
What persona, persona segment, or customer type experiences the problem most acutely?
Sidney (Systems Administrator) -- GitLab Administrator who needs to perform upgrades to GitLab.