Re: [gentoo-dev] Monthly Gentoo Council Reminder for January

[Philip Webb]

On Thu, Jan 05, 2006 at 04:31:30AM +0000, Kurt Lieber wrote:
> appoint a CEO, leader, boss, manager, etc. all those corporate-type words
> that raise the hackles of nearly everyone on this list.
> We have no effective leadership whatsoever.  We spend far too much time
> arguing among ourselves instead of working as a team towards a common goal.
> We should appoint one person to lead the project.  Make sure
> that person knows WTF they're doing, are respected by the right developers,
> has a good vision for Gentoo and then let them make decisions.
> Expect people to adhere to the decisions and, if they don't,
> invite them to find other opportunities for their creative outlet.
> That person should figure out what Gentoo wants to be when it grows up.
> S/he should carefully consult the various stakeholders,
> look at the strengths/weaknesses of Gentoo as it stands currently
> and then figure out where the best direction is for it to proceed.
> They should then be responsible for making sure everyone
> executes according to this direction.  I have no illusions
> of this idea ever being implemented in the current Gentoo environment.
> /shrug.  It was a good ride.

</spectate>

After reading -- quickly -- this thread for a day or two,
to see what Gentoo devs are thinking, I'm surprised
anyone has been taking this rubbish seriously enough to reply at length.
The final line suggests the writer has no serious interest in Gentoo.

A "boss" owns the company or at least has been appointed by its owners
to manage it on their behalf.  He hires & pays employees to do his bidding.
Gentoo is not a company, has no employees & no money to pay them with.

"Appoint one person to lead": the Germans did that back in 1933
-- as did the French in 1799, the Russians in 1917 & the Chinese in 1949 --
& we have had a long time to reflect on the kind of thing which results.
The community which achieved the most with the least in human history
was ancient Athens, which was even less directed than Gentoo.
Democracy ?  Consensus ?  Co-operative efforts ?  Rational discussion ?
Apparently they are of no interest to the OP.

As soon as anyone starts to order Gentoo devs to do anything,
they will leave & not come back & the project really will die a prompt death.
What makes it work is precisely "arguing among ourselves".

All this should be utterly clear to anyone involved in developing Gentoo.
Can we please get back to something important, like the news GLEP ?

<spectate>

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