PSC Member Nomination

[Steve Lime]

Frank, I concur with your responses (good questions Arnulf). I was planning to reinvigorate
the PSC nominations discussion last night but this thread beat me to it. We need to act on these
nominations (Umberto and Jeff to date) in a relatively timely fashion. I think we're stuck on two
issues:

  - PSC size
  - a nomination process when bootstrapping the PSC

Neither of those are particularly well addressed in the RFC, hence the trouble. I think once we
get past an initial surge in membership this will work fine. Any thoughts on size?

Steve

>>> On 5/8/2007 at 11:33 AM, in message <4640A645.80307 at pobox.com>, Frank Warmerdam
<warmerdam at POBOX.COM> wrote:
> Arnulf Christl (OSGeo) wrote:
>> A few minor additional questions (we are still elaborating on PSC 
>> guidelines in the Mapbender project, so this is out of professional 
>> interest):
>> * Does the existing TSC/PSC vote for the free slots? 
> 
> Arnulf,
> 
> Additions to the PSC are voted on by the PSC (expressed as motions to
> the PSC).
> 
>  > * Will the TSC  continue to exist parallel to the PSC?
> 
> The TSC is replaced by the PSC.
> 
>> * Wich xSC has authority over the other (is there a hierarchy)?
>> * Is there anything like "user membership level". For example what 
>> happens if the TSC or PSC runs afoul on some issue that is not tolerated 
>> by "broad user membership" (like changing the name to Cheetah)?
> 
> There is no user membership concept.  Issues affecting the broader user
> base (or perhaps it was all RFCs?) are to be circulated on mapserver-users.
> It is assumed that the PSC will take into account broad feedback in
> decision making.
> 
> If the PSC falls into it's own navel and ignores the MapServer communities
> needs and wishes, one can assume that the project would fork.
> 
> In some cases we have, and likely will, use polls on the mapserver site
> to get a sense of the communities wishes.
> 
>> * I did not find any date or what form the PSC election has, or is this 
>> an ongoing process that can happen at any time? Do you have an 
>> independent person to count votes/ballots (suggest to ask OSGeo's CEO).
> 
> It can happen at any time by motion to the PSC.  It isn't really an
> election, and votes are public as with any other motion.
> 
> We (the PSC) do often discuss additions internally before raising a public
> motion to avoid the very difficult situation of voting against having
> someone join the PSC.   We have recently had some internal discussions
> on extending the PSC and lots of great candidates have been suggested, but
> I think we became a bit confused about how to proceed without having the PSC
> balloon to a huge size (or perhaps it should!) and that conversation has
> been idle for a week or two.
> 
> PS. I think Jeff would make a great PSC member though I can also think of
> quite a few others I'd also love to see in that role.
> 
> PPS. Steve or others are welcome to correct me.  I'm just butting in to give
> my understanding in my self-appointed role as protocol droid.
> 
> Best regards,