Fedora Board Recap 2009-01-20

[Mike McGrath]

On Thu, 22 Jan 2009, Josh Boyer wrote:
> >
> >If http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Overview is correct.  I'd like to see the
> >page focused and simplified on what we're about.  I'd also like to know
> >what we should do to get it spread around a bit more.
> >
> >Somehow I feel like we've not properly set our users expectations right
> >and in the end it hurts us when they have a bad experience.  Fedora's goal
> >is not one of a popularity contest, we serve a deeper purpose. [1]
>
> Then start by answering your own question.  Fedora's goals, it's mission,
> and it's plan are driven by it's community[1].  Not by the Board, and with all
> respect to our excellent leader, not by the FPL.
>
> So, what do you want that plan to be?
>
> josh
>
> [1] And by community, I mean everyone that contributes to it regardless of
> employer.
>

To me that's a cop out.  How can 13,000+ active community members all lead a
single project?  Why have a board at all[1]?  I think the community
leading was great back when there weren't that many of us but now I really
do think it's hurting people.  I'm happy to continue to aid in leading the
infrastructure team but where are we going and for what ultimate purpose.

Everyone has their own expectations of Fedora but no one has said what it
is and should be.  The result is us constantly not meeting the
expectations of the mainstream (because those expectations have not been
defined by us) and then having technical users discount us because of the
bad press.  Not everyone is doing this, but enough are that people take
notice.

We are a mature and growing project.  I can't imagine a non-free
organization of our size and scope getting any further then this without a
defined purpose, goals and mission.  Individual teams keep setting goals
for themselves (like in infrastructure for example) but without some
larger purpose those goals are likely to get misaligned.

	-Mike

[1] Our board is community and non community members.  It seems suited to
this task.