Re: Call for vote: Impeachment of the president [was: Re: new maintainers]

[Dale Scheetz <dwarf@polaris.net>]

On Thu, 20 Mar 1997, Dominik Kubla wrote:

> >>>>> Bruce Perens writes:
> 
> > I think we need to set some guidelines for accepting new
> > maintainers. I've become very reluctant to add another maintainer
> > just because he's packaged a game, and I've started to turn people
> > away. Thawte has missed its March 10 deadline for deploying the PGP
> > personal ID certification business that they are going to offer us
> > use of for free. At this point it takes about a half hour per new
> > maintainer to investigate if they really are who they say they are,
> > etc. I'm reluctant to just let people in without investigation
> > because of the possibility of trojan horses, etc.
> 
> > 	Thanks
> 
> > 	Bruce -- Bruce Perens K6BP Bruce@Pixar.com 510-215-3502 Finger
> > bruce@master.Debian.org for PGP public key.  PGP fingerprint = 88 6A
> > 15 D0 65 D4 A3 A6 1F 89 6A 76 95 24 87 B3
> 
> 
> 1. Who entitled you to shift the basic policy of the project?

Determining a method for validating new maintainers has been discussed,
off and on for some time now. The above stated position and problems are
not a "shift" in policy as much as an attempt to implement some.

>    If it has to happen, that decision is up to the board. 

The board is currently charged with "determining a framework for decision
making" in the form of a corporation that can act as an umbrella under
which the Debian Development Project can operate. The board may be
empowered by this framework to make policy decisions, however, I would
hope that that framework includes the membership at-large in the decision
making process. Currently the board has given this power to Bruce when it
pertains to the day to day operation of the project.

>                                                            If you can't
>    take the time to verify new maintainers, then let someone else do it.
> 
Bruce has already exercised his powers in appointing someone to orphaned
packages and new maintainers (the idea being that new maintainers should
be encouraged to take over orphaned packages before adding new packages,
so that they can become properly educated in the production of packages).
This seems to be exactly the job you want Bruce to perform.

> 2. That sounds awfully close to a "closed-team" develoment.  What happend
>    to the principle of "free development" your were citing when i, and
>    others, proposed to form a core team to oversee the base system.
> 
> I think that your overall argumentation is not consistent and that you
> bend the rules to reach your personal goals every time you deem it
> necessary.

I think that this is a perception problem on your part Dominik. No one,
not even Bruce has ever argued for a "closed team".
> 
> I do not agree with this imposed change of yours and call the
> developers to a "vote of dissmissal from office" on basis that you are
> no longer working in the interest of the project.
> 
Personally, I would prefer to hear just what, about the proposal, you
dislike so much, rather than this disruptive (and to my mind uncalled for)
call for a "vote of dismissal from office".
Anger is not an appropriate motivational tool to use when you become
frustrated. At least in groups like this it only escalates tensions.

> BTW. The lists seem to be defunct again, like they have more or less
> since the last action of yours.
> 
Well, there do seem to be some distribution problems with the lists. There
are "top people" working on it as we speak. This "last action" as you put
it was completely sanctioned by the board and, to my mind, has been
positive in many respects. If you want Bruce's removal because of this
class of action on his part, you better just shoot the whole board as
well.

Dominik, please, it is apparent from your posting that your are angry and
frustrated, but this aggressive posture you have taken is no good for
anyone (yourself included). Please consider the goals and motivations that
drive your participation in the group. Then try to realize that the rest
of us (Yes, even Bruce) have VERY similar goals and motivations (or we
wouldn't be here). If you can cross that bridge, then, whenever you feel
frustrated by the way things are going, realize that many of us are just
as frustrated over just the same issues. With that in mind, I beg you to
consider another method of bringing your frustrations to the table.

With my sincere and best intentions,

Luck,

Dwarf
-- 
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