[Board] board-priv posting policy

[Tyler Mitchell]

For the record - I'm not worried about discussions about my priorities and tasks happening in public.  Sometimes you'll even find that others on the public list remember things we've done and discussions made by previous boards better than we currently do.
As long as you throw in a smiley now and then I don't look on it as negative criticism. ;)

Tyler

> 
> 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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