Choosing the Choosers

[Bill Binko]

On Sat, 17 Dec 2005, Paul Spencer wrote:

...

> I am starting to believe that from a user's point of view (that's me,  
> I'm not a developer of MapServer) it will actually make very little  
> difference to me in the long term since all I want to do is download  
> the software and build tools on top of it.  As long as the  
> contributors are happy that they can continue to develop and maintain  
> MapServer, I'm ambivalent about where the project lives.  I suspect  
> that the other ~1900 people on the mapserver-users mailing list that  
> we haven't heard from are probably in the same boat.  They don't  
> really care about these issues as long as MapServer continues to be a  
> kick-ass web-mapping platform and however the developers and  
> maintainers choose to run the project, good for them!
> 
> The members of the MTSC have earned their position based on the merit  
> of their contributions to the project.  They have also earned the  
> right to make decisions (as a group) on the future of the project on  
> behalf of the community of users.  If they know what's good for them,  
> they'll consult the community.  But in the end, they need to be the  
> ones to take the decision and we have to accept that they are acting  
> in the best interest of the project ...
> 
> I probably haven't expressed this well ...  Flame away :)

Actually, I think you've hit the nail on the head.  I have made some very 
minor contributions to Mapserver, but generally, I am basing a business 
off of using it, not writing it.  With that in mind, I will use it whether 
its run in a foundation or not.  

I'd only add that if the Foundation founders or turns Evil(tm), I have a
fairly high confidence that some of the more zealous OpenSource proponents
on the -devel list will take a fork off somewhere where I can follow them.

So, sure, the MTSC has my vote in crafting the Foundation's charter, etc.  
Please make sure the users are represented in the final composition, and 
make the barrier to entry low.

Bill