[fedora-india] Ambassadors in India

[Ashwin]

On 05/10/2010 11:50 AM, Siddhesh Poyarekar wrote:
> On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 10:22 AM, Ashwin <ashwin.lists at gmail.com> wrote:
>> As a user I started with Redhat 6.0 in the year 2000, presently I use
>> both Fedora 12 and 13 (beta as of now).
>>
>> After having spent a lot of time over the years, in spreading the usage
>> of Linux and advocating Free and Open Source Software (but not exactly
>> by way of holding seminars or presentations) more by the way of
>> innovating the application solutions and hand holding and spoon feeding
>> the converts to LINUX, I simply state, keep the ambassadors program as
>> it is.
>>
>> Keep it maintained, by listing people as inactive based on pre-defined
>> time lines (reminder emails to renew the active status etc.)
> 
> What is the point of maintaining inactive ambassadors in the list? It
> is a different thing to keep ambassadors who were active once and are
> not as involved now, and a completely different thing for those who
> sign up as ambassadors and just don't do anything about it.

It is so demeaning to judge someone for her/his *volunteering*
commitments. Beware, this is going to bring in negative feelings.

As it is, it is pretty difficult to convert a user to LINUX, and this
sort of over zealous drive for accountability is not going to help and
make the matters more difficult.

> 
>> If you really want some yardstick to measure performance of an
>> ambassador, then build some monetary / cash rewards and incentives into
>> the program.
>>
> 
> Why? How would cash rewards serve as a yardstick? If you mean cash
> rewards as a means of encouraging volunteers then you're completely
> missing the point -- it is called "volunteering" for a reason.
> 
> 

Exactly, so do not try to paint the volunteers as sinners (for not being
*active* enough as per your new found yardsticks of *today*) and shift
the goal posts midway of a game.

In-activity (or opposite of hyper activity that you desire) can be for
various reasons (long drawn sickness, commitments towards sick parents,
new baby, new marriage etc.) but that does not mean the person is no
more an advocate of LINUX / Fedora. You think you want to sit on a
judgement here any more ?

What you guys are saying is that - to be a volunteer (or rather to be
listed on the website of Fedora as one) a certain level of activity has
to be guaranteed and that too repeatedly. Then why not pay for the base
minimum activity (based on your new yardstick), anything above the base
minimum is a bonus for Fedora and Redhat is it not ?

You want volunteers to be accountable. Why ? Are you questioning their
intentions to be a volunteer for Fedora ? If some one added his/her name
to the list, I am sure it was done with good intentions. Why should we
change that basic status / frame of mind ?

Take an advice, refrain from questioning what the volunteer is doing
about his committed role as an ambassador, otherwise pay for it.

Based on what I see now, I am happy that I never listed myself as an
volunteer / ambassador for Fedora. I continue to be volunteer and I am
active in helping new/old LINUX users, as per my own standards of
volunteering time at my disposal.

Why should one follow the yardsticks for *volunteering* as laid down by
you guys ? It sounds so demeaning. It sounds like policies of Microsoft.

Wake up guys, it is also important to be open minded. All the names once
listed can continue to be there, all it takes is a few mega bytes of
space. If someone responds to a request as volunteer, it is great, if
not even then it is great, the request can be sent to another volunteer.

with Regards,
ASHWIN