Fedora Council Statement on the Future of Community Initiatives and the AI Developer Desktop Proposal

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*Originally posted on Fedora Discussion
<https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/fedora-council-statement-on-the-fut=
ure-of-community-initiatives-and-the-ai-developer-desktop-proposal/195402>.=
*


*TL;DNR: Effective immediately, the Fedora Council is proposing we pause
the Community Initiatives process as an official project process. A
replacement process will need to be designed, in time, with community
input. Existing approved Initiatives will continue to run their scheduled
term.*
The Fedora Council would like to close the discussion regarding the AI
developer desktop proposal, as we have come to the conclusion that the
current community initiatives process is ineffective and therefore this
work should not be proposed through this mechanism.
When/if the AI Desktop work matures, it can follow our current path to
becoming an official offering, whether through a proposal as a Remix or
otherwise, namely first filing a Council ticket for trademark/branding
approval followed by a Change Proposal for FESCo technical review. Until
those steps occur, this remains an independent exploration rather than an
official Fedora offering. We would like to encourage the proposer and those
interested in this work to consider working on this anyway in and for
Fedora. This includes having an open space to talk about the work, holding
meetings, and collaborating with other groups, such as the AI/ML SIG, that
have similar or the same interests.

Fedora is such a wonderful project *because* we have so much choice. Should
we someday add an AI developer desktop as a Fedora offering, we expect it
will be inline with the project's Four Foundations
<https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/#_what_is_fedora_all_about>.
This would certainly add another interesting flavour to our already diverse
ecosystem.

The Fedora Objectives/Initiatives framework was never intended as a
mandatory prerequisite to do the work in Fedora. It supposed to help by
focusing the community on a certain work when needed, not to decide what is
allowed.

The AI developer desktop initiative proposal highlighted that the Community
Initiatives process has failed to serve as a good framework in Fedora where
new ideas can surface, receive respectful feedback, and gain Council
support for work that fits the project's present and/or future. This is
something that the Council must address.

As a first step, we would like to halt the community initiative process
immediately. Existing initiatives in flight (Fedora Forge, Atomic, and
Fedora Docs 2026) will continue with full Council backing. Their underlying
work will be completed as planned in their current timeboxed state, though
the administrative framework around them may evolve.

As a second step, we would like to work out a new mechanism to allow
Council to set strategic direction in an open, transparent way that more
intentionally includes the community voice. We recognise that we have to be
better at being more open in our discussions and decision making.

Part of this work will involve addressing our implict social norms.
Currently, a lot of great work, happens under the radar before official
approval processes kick in. While our current approval pipeline (Council
trademark review, then FESCo change proposal) works well, we are missing
early and inclusive discussion for everyone across the project. We want to
bring these ideas and this work to light at the beginning, where the
community can discuss them, so they can be championed earlier (and attract
more contributors!).

To that effect, Council will be looking at the Initiatives Lifecycle or
'sandbox' proposal
<https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/a-modest-proposal-a-technology-inno=
vation-lifecycle-process-for-fedora/182435>
closely, as this may have potential to be either a better way, or be
complimentary to another process we may develop, that can surface these
initiative-style ideas and work items in Fedora early. Your feedback on
this proposal is most welome so we can try to understand how the Fedora
Community needs these kinds of processes to behave to be successful.

Council intends to return to the conversation of whether Community
initiatives should be retired or revamped once this discussion has reached
some kind of conclusion.

=E2=80=94 Aoife, on behalf of the Fedora Council.

--=20
*Justin Wheeler* (*he/him*) || =F0=9F=93=A7 [email protected] || =F0=9F=94=
=97 jwheel.org
*Formerly Justin W. Flory*
*Fedora* Community Architect
TZ=3DAmerica/Atlanta (UTC-4) =F0=9F=95=97
*Fedora is a registered Digital Public Good
<https://app.digitalpublicgoods.net/a/12003>*

While I may be sending this email outside my normal office hours, I have no
expectation to receive a reply outside yours.

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<div dir=3D"ltr"><div><i>Originally posted <a href=3D"https://discussion.fe=
doraproject.org/t/fedora-council-statement-on-the-future-of-community-initi=
atives-and-the-ai-developer-desktop-proposal/195402">on Fedora Discussion</=
a>.</i></div><div></div><div><br></div><div><b>TL;DNR: Effective immediatel=
y, the Fedora Council is proposing we pause the Community Initiatives proce=
ss as an official project process. A replacement process will need to be de=
signed, in time, with community input. Existing approved Initiatives will c=
ontinue to run their scheduled term.<br></b><br>The Fedora Council would li=
ke to close the discussion regarding the AI developer desktop proposal, as =
we have come to the conclusion that the current community initiatives proce=
ss is ineffective and therefore this work should not be proposed through th=
is mechanism.<br>When/if the AI Desktop work matures, it can follow our cur=
rent path to becoming an official offering, whether through a proposal as a=
 Remix or otherwise, namely first filing a Council ticket for trademark/bra=
nding approval followed by a Change Proposal for FESCo technical review. Un=
til those steps occur, this remains an independent exploration rather than =
an official Fedora offering. We would like to encourage the proposer and th=
ose interested in this work to consider working on this anyway in and for F=
edora. This includes having an open space to talk about the work, holding m=
eetings, and collaborating with other groups, such as the AI/ML SIG, that h=
ave similar or the same interests.<br><br>Fedora is such a wonderful projec=
t <i>because</i> we have so much choice. Should we someday add an AI develo=
per desktop as a Fedora offering, we expect it will be inline with the proj=
ect&#39;s <a href=3D"https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/project/#_what_is=
_fedora_all_about">Four Foundations</a>. This would certainly add another i=
nteresting flavour to our already diverse ecosystem.<br><br>The Fedora Obje=
ctives/Initiatives framework was never intended as a mandatory prerequisite=
 to do the work in Fedora. It supposed to help by focusing the community on=
 a certain work when needed, not to decide what is allowed.</div><div><br>T=
he AI developer desktop initiative proposal highlighted that the Community =
Initiatives process has failed to serve as a good framework in Fedora where=
 new ideas can surface, receive respectful feedback, and gain Council suppo=
rt for work that fits the project&#39;s present and/or future. This is some=
thing that the Council must address.<br><br>As a first step, we would like =
to halt the community initiative process immediately. Existing initiatives =
in flight (Fedora Forge, Atomic, and Fedora Docs 2026) will continue with f=
ull Council backing. Their underlying work will be completed as planned in =
their current timeboxed state, though the administrative framework around t=
hem may evolve.</div><div><br>As a second step, we would like to work out a=
 new mechanism to allow Council to set strategic direction in an open, tran=
sparent way that more intentionally includes the community voice. We recogn=
ise that we have to be better at being more open in our discussions and dec=
ision making.<br><br>Part of this work will involve addressing our implict =
social norms. Currently, a lot of great work, happens under the radar befor=
e official approval processes kick in. While our current approval pipeline =
(Council trademark review, then FESCo change proposal) works well, we are m=
issing early and inclusive discussion for everyone across the project. We w=
ant to bring these ideas and this work to light at the beginning, where the=
 community can discuss them, so they can be championed earlier (and attract=
 more contributors!).</div><div><br>To that effect, Council will be looking=
 at the <a href=3D"https://discussion.fedoraproject.org/t/a-modest-proposal=
-a-technology-innovation-lifecycle-process-for-fedora/182435">Initiatives L=
ifecycle or &#39;sandbox&#39; proposal</a> closely, as this may have potent=
ial to be either a better way, or be complimentary to another process we ma=
y develop, that can surface these initiative-style ideas and work items in =
Fedora early. Your feedback on this proposal is most welome so we can try t=
o understand how the Fedora Community needs these kinds of processes to beh=
ave to be successful.</div><div><br>Council intends to return to the conver=
sation of whether Community initiatives should be retired or revamped once =
this discussion has reached some kind of conclusion. <br><br>=E2=80=94 Aoif=
e, on behalf of the Fedora Council.</div><br><span class=3D"gmail_signature=
_prefix">-- </span><br><div dir=3D"ltr" class=3D"gmail_signature" data-smar=
tmail=3D"gmail_signature"><div dir=3D"ltr"><div></div><div></div><div><b><f=
ont size=3D"4">Justin Wheeler</font></b> (<span style=3D"color:rgb(102,102,=
102)"><i>he/him</i></span>) || =F0=9F=93=A7 <a href=3D"mailto:jwheel@redhat=
.com" target=3D"_blank">[email protected]</a> || =F0=9F=94=97 <a href=3D"ht=
tps://jwheel.org" target=3D"_blank">jwheel.org</a></div><div></div><div></d=
iv><div><i>Formerly Justin W. Flory</i></div><div><b>Fedora</b> Community A=
rchitect<br><span style=3D"font-family:monospace">TZ=3DAmerica/Atlanta</spa=
n> (UTC-4) =F0=9F=95=97<br></div><div><img src=3D"https://fedoraproject.org=
/w/uploads/2/2d/Logo_fedoralogo.png" width=3D"96" height=3D"27"></div><div>=
<font size=3D"1"><i>Fedora is a <a href=3D"https://app.digitalpublicgoods.n=
et/a/12003" target=3D"_blank">registered Digital Public Good</a></i></font>=
<br></div><div><br><font size=3D"1">While I may be sending this email outsi=
de my normal office hours, I have no expectation to receive a reply outside=
 yours.</font><br></div></div></div></div>

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