Re: A Call For Open Governance Of X Development

Keith Packard writes:
 > 
 > Current XFree86 governance is not a precise mirror of current commitment to
 > the window system.  Most of the current board of directors have not been
 > involved in the window system for years.  If you feel that the core team is
 > responsible for governance, then even within that body there are many
 > members who have greatly contributed in the past, but who have moved on to
 > other interests.  I feel it is the responsibility of those who are no 
 > longer involved in the window system to abdicate their authority.

On the XFree86 core team we have no procedure to 'retire' people.
There simply has been no need for it. Have you seen any of these
people exercising their authority? Did they ever get involved
in the every day technical issues? They got invloved - when
the project itself was challenged politically. This only shows
how much they care about the well being of XFree86.

 > 
 > One way of generating a governing body more representative of the wider 
 > community is by asking for the community's opinion about the developers, 
 > other projects have found that a useful way of gauging current interest 
 > and community support.  Whether this would be the right way to choose 
 > leadership within XFree86 is a secondary question, but it is what I 
 > suggested.

An OpenSource project is not a popularity contest.
If it was the current core team wouldn't do so bad:
The average user has a very different focus than the
UI people. Had you ever done a XFree86 booth on a show
you'd know. People are much happier to be able to
watch movies and play their ego-shooters than to
to have drop shadowes around their windows.

 > 
 > > It's hard enough to impose the will of a seasoned architect on
 > > a developer.  Why you think a developer will code to the will
 > > of public opinion is beyond me.
 > 
 > None of the issues I've raised question the technical direction of the 
 > project, nor do they have any impact on technical decisions.  I am 
 > concerned only with the governance of the project and the interactions of 
 > the government with the community.
 > 
 > Again, I ask the core team and board members to consider changing the
 > governance of XFree86 to meet the needs of the X community.
 > 
 > -keith
 > 
 > 
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