[Ambassadors] How to be a Mentor?

[Marcus Moeller]

Dear David,

>>>> I want to be a mentor.  What is needed for it?
>>>
>>> Mentors have to get introduced and recommended by existing mentors to
>>> FAmSCo and FAmSCo will consider and approve them. I want to remind that
>>> one focus of Ambassadors is on Teaching and Mentoring new Candidates
>>> into all the Areas of the Fedora Project.
>>
>> That's especially something I cannot fully agree with. Imho there
>> should be clear guidelines that have to be fulfilled to become a
>> mentor. It should not be based on personal preferences of a quite
>> small group of ppl.
>>
>
> This was long debated. However, in the end, we decided that the people
> doing the work knew best when a person was ready to be both an
> Ambassador and a mentor, and thus, like packaging sponsors, they get
> wide leeway in 'sponsoring'. In the end, it's a matter of trusting the
> people doing the work, rather than forcing some onerous set of rules
> on people. (That said, when I as a mentor have someone ask to be
> approved, I have my own set of guidelines that I make the candidate
> live up to, and I built those on guidelines writtten by Susmit for
> candidates from India, and the mentors have actively discussed
> defining their own requirements as well)
>
> As I said, it was debated quite a bit. And it may not be the best
> choice, but generally communities seem to work best with as little
> structure as needed, and mentors were erected because we deemed that
> some structure was needed to ensure we retained the quality of the
> Ambassadors program. I won't necessarily try to convince you, but the
> idea has been well thought and explored over many months. Perhaps
> you'll be on the next FAmSCo and change it. Incidentally this isn't
> new, and was announced on f-a-l (earlier this year I believe)

Thanks for your brief summary. In general I already know most of the
parts and why it is as it is, but a decision taking in an open
community is never good if it demands on personal choices.

So if there are some kind of rules (they do not have to be so
complicated), election won't be based on the I-(don't)-like-your-nose
principal. Of course as we all got nice noses it might work in most
cases, but now always :)

-- 
Greets
Marcus