[Board] board-priv posting policy

[Seven (aka Arnulf)]

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Frankly I don't think we need a policy for this. It feels a bit like red
taping our bureaucracy in officialism. But if you feel like it, go
ahead, it will get a -0 from me.

Best regards,
Arnulf

Frank Warmerdam wrote:
> Folks,
> 
> We seem to be suffering from a tendency to write stuff to -priv whenever
> there is the slightest concern that someone somewhere could be offended
> or concerned or anything.  I think that we really need to discipline
> ourselves
> to discuss things in public unless there are very very real reasons to do
> it in private which might include:
> 
>  o Disclosure of information provided to us with a request for
> non-disclosure.
>    ie. conference contract agreements (though I really wish we wouldn't
>    get stuck with contracts under NDA).
> 
>  o Disclosure of private personal information - like if I wanted the board
>    to know I was dying of AIDS, but preferred not to announce it widely.
>    (just an example!)
> 
> I would like to suggest we put in place a policy that any new thread
> started
> on board-priv needs to be prefaced by a very specific explanation of the
> legal/moral requirement to keep it private.
> 
> Early in the life of the foundation there was, once or twice, issues raised
> on the board list that some board members felt should not be associated
> with
> the foundation.  In particular I was personally blasted for bringing up
> patents.
> 
> I struggled with this for a while, and I've come to the personal conclusion
> that it is important that we be able to have public discussions on a wide
> variety of matters without worrying that the world will take the discussion
> as policy.  There seems to be a concern with some folks that in a
> discussion
> among board members that one statement might be pulled out of context and
> touted around the world as "OSGeo says...".  I think it is wrongheaded
> of us
> to get bent out of shape with such concerns.
> 
> On the other hand, I am very concerned about statements we publish as
> OSGeo / board policy.  With that we need to be careful.
> 
> So, I am now seeking feedback on whether the board would be receptive to
> me preparing a policy on board-priv use we could vote on at the next
> meeting.
> 
> PS. I started writing this email as a reply to the messages on -priv, and
> in a moment of self-reflection I realized this very discussion is much
> better held in public!
> 
> Best regards,


- --
Arnulf Christl

Exploring Space, Time and Mind
http://arnulf.us
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