Fedora Board Recap 2009-01-20

[inode0]

On Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 8:43 PM, Greg Dekoenigsberg <gdk at redhat.com> wrote:
>
> On Thu, 22 Jan 2009, Mike McGrath wrote:
>
>> 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.
>
> I just look at this thread in a sort of stunned awe.
>
> It wasn't that long ago before we were scrambling to have any community
> invovlement at all.
>
> Now we're trying to figure out how to articulate a coherent vision on behalf
> of 13,000 people -- a number that continues to grow, by the way, despite the
> occasional doubts that we feel about whether we are on the right track.

Where did all these people come from? Perhaps one met Francesco on a
train and heard about his love of Fedora and looked us up? Perhaps one
met Máirí­n and sized her up as one exception human being and was
moved by her passion for Fedora to look closer at the community
because there must be something really valuable there to inspire her
so much? Perhaps one is inspired by Rodrigo's zero carbon initiative
to get involved?

All 13,000 don't lead. Most will find a Geronimo. For some that might
be Francesco, Máirí­n, Rodrigo, or any of countless others. What bonds
us together? It isn't a mission statement. It is common core values,
community, interesting work. To be honest, I'm not sure that
articulating a coherent vision is even possible since the twists and
turns the project takes are directed by the community, not the
community as a whole but by some member of the community and those
that member inspires.

We might in the end have to accept that we don't know what our
ultimate purpose is or how we are going to get there. But we can share
a culture we are comfortable with, do interesting work, and try to
make the world a better place in some small or large way while we are
here.

John