Openness: Apache as a guiding model (was Re: GFS removed??? )

[Jeff Spaleta]

On Fri, 18 Mar 2005 10:15:33 +0100 (CET), Nicolas Mailhot
<nicolas.mailhot at laposte.net> wrote:
> Choosing to ignore Axel's input on this subject is so utterly ridiculous
> from a technical point of view one can only conclude other considerations
> are taking over now.

This is completely and utterly wrong. No one is being ignored. 
Let me be clear... opinions expressed in -devel-list are not ignored. 
Axel is not being ignored. He's expressed an opinion, its been heard.   
Whether contributors inside the Fedora project incorporate Axel's
ideas into the Extras will be self-evident eventually.  From what has
been said here, clearly Ville wants to know Axel's opinion.. and if
thats the case Ville will most likely incorporate anything he finds
useful in any of his contributions to fedora contributor-wide
discussions.  I would find it rather odd and malicious if Ville now
ignored Axel, considering Ville has explicitly desired Axel's input.

While the situation hasn't been handled well as it could have in this
case, I think what Ville has done to reach-out to people outside the
current contributor pool to gather opinions is exactly the correct
model that needs to be followed.  Maintainers with good working
relationships with outside individuals act as advocates for those
outside view points for any maintainer-wide discussion about policy
and infrastructure decisions.  But at the end of the day.. the
decision rests on the shoulder of those inside the process.

There is a big difference between being ignored and having a seat at
the table when its time to make decisions.  You can have a measure of
influence and input without being at that table. This is especially
true, if you have a good working relationship with people inside the
process.  But if you want to be an active participant when it comes to
making a decision, that requires making a commitment to being a
contributor inside the project.  The longer someone with strongly
diverging opinions continues to stand outside the process... the more
likely the process will continue to evolve away from what they want. 
People who choose not to contribute, get less of a say on internal
policies. Less say does not equal being ignored.  There is a
significant distinction between having your opinion heard and being a
party to the decision making process.

-jef