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Daniel Robbins wrote: |
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With my busy work week, I didn't think I'd have time to join the -nfp |
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mailing list/discussion, but it seems important enough to take time for, |
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so I think I'll CC the discussion there and take part. |
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> 1) Set up the NFP with lots of elections to ensure fair representation |
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> |
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> Downside: NFP can be co-opted by external entities |
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> |
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> Counter-argument: Probably won't happen |
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Not to fan the 'black helicopter' flames or anything, but I'm seeing a |
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lot more IBM Linux commercials and Gentoo Linux is rapidly becomming an |
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enterprise level product. That means Gentoo will soon (if it isn't |
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already) be a dot on Microsoft's bottom line. |
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{putting down tin foil hat} |
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> 2) Set up the NFP with no elections but with a "permanent" board of |
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> directors |
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> |
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> Downside: This model isn't exactly "fair" or representative |
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> |
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> Counter-argument: Developers and users can always vote with their |
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> feet (ie leave the project or stop using Gentoo) and this is enough to |
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> keep the board accountable. |
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This already seems like a bad ultimatum to be made. Sure, open projects |
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thrive on forks - in the ideal. In reality it often works to dillute |
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efforts and developer talents. Could each herd continue to sucessfully |
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handle all bugs and still have time to create the same calibre of |
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enhancements with half their numbers? |
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I also don't think it's a good thing for our outward appearance, and |
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could easily be misconstrued as "If you don't like it, leave." (the |
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other side of the coin; especially visible for a dev/manager on the |
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losing end of one of the aforementioned conflicts). |
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> 3) Set up the NFP with some elections and some appointed positions |
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> |
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> Downside: This requires complex rules to be written to achieve this |
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> balance, creating a bureaucracy, and the process of determining what rules |
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> should be used can be quite confusing. And the result may be a |
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> dysfunctional organization mired in procedural details. |
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> |
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> Counter-argument: Maybe this isn't so bad and we can afford to wait |
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> a few extra months on the NFP to figure out all these rules. |
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That's sounding a lot like FidoNet and "Policy 4". Delaying progress in |
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the name of politics is, IME, a Very Bad Thing<tm>. |
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Integrating the Internet, and mail transfer va the same (vice dial-up |
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modems) was fought and delayed so long it had to be subversively |
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implemented by a splinter group being challenged all along the way. By |
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then, however, it was a band-aid for a broken arm. Nobody wanted to join |
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a dying network. |
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|
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-- |
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Stewart Honsberger |
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Gentoo Developer |
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http://www.snerk.org/ |
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-- |
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gentoo-nfp@g.o mailing list |
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