Requests for Advice from the Board

[Máirín Duffy]

On Tue, 2012-02-14 at 17:23 -0700, Stephen John Smoogen wrote:
> 2012/2/14 Máirín Duffy <duffy at fedoraproject.org>:
> > Don't hate me, but...
> >
> > On Tue, 2012-02-14 at 12:59 -0800, Max Spevack wrote:
> >> I know that John is just paraphrasing here, but the truth is that there
> >> are a number of times where all you see is something along the lines of
> >> "not an issue for the Board" or "Board says that $PROJECT should do what
> >> it thinks is best".

> Now how can we make this better? Because I can't see being able to
> truly answer various questions before the board.

Well, my point was if the board wants to operate under the 'people doing
the work decide' model, then I think the board should build the
framework that makes it possible for people to get the work done. This
may occasionally involve effort on the part of the board to interact
with the people who do work on things, and making a case to them that
some particular thing would make Fedora a better place. (E.g., hey
Fedora infrastructure team, what do you think about deploying X? We
think it might solve problem Y. This is how we think it'll make our
project better. What do you think? Do you, in your expertise, have a
better solution? Let's solve the problem together.) It doesn't have to
be a decree or an order. It can be a compelling case and story to
hopefully inspire people to action, or if not, show that maybe the
proposed solution wasn't the best and find a better way.

To be honest, I do worry a lot less about what exactly I work on and
more about how to make a positive impact on the project or the world - I
don't think I'm alone. Isn't that what drives us to free software
communities? If someone on the board reaches out to you, taps you to
help them solve a problem, explaining the positive difference and reach
that work would have and helping recruit others to work with you, would
you make the time? (A group of us on the websites team did exactly when
this happened with the board's ~F11 timeframe request for a new
fedoraproject.org.)

The saying, 'go ahead' to things brought up to them rather than
proactively approaching people with compelling projects, making them
feel as if they have a shot at changing things for the better and making
a difference, is certainly a less inspirational mode of operation IMHO.
It could work though, if the board made available a framework under
which people can get things done.

If the board does not do this, the 'people doing the work decide'
becomes 'people who have excessive amounts of free time and/or who are
willing to sacrifice their personal lives and who have the patience and
heart of a saint are the the people who decide.' (And there are many
such people in the project. Valentine's <3 to all of you.)

How the board answers particular questions is orthogonal here, though.
The board doesn't have to be in the business of fielding various
questions if the board follows through and makes it easier for people to
help themselves. (e.g., rather than point people to the dark forest full
of wolves and pray they have the fortitude to make it through, work to
have a set of stadium lighting installed at various points in the woods
to light the way for safe productive wandering.) As a bonus, you're not
really taking sides when you work on the framework around participation,
so I don't think 'sides' would come much into play. 

~m