[OSGeo-Discuss] Code of Conduct... followup to avoid lobbies

[Cameron Shorter]

Please keep our rules simple.

Human interaction is complicated. And if we try to create a set of rules 
to cover every use case, we will just end up with a very complicated set 
of rules, which still won't cover all situations.

I think the issue here is that we are placing too much importance on the 
role of charter membership. Apart from casting a vote for the board, 
everything else that charter members do, such as contributing to open 
source, or contributing to committees, or organising conferences CAN BE 
DONE WITHOUT BEING AN OFFICIAL CHARTER MEMBER.

Our risk of membership being overtaken by a "lobby group" is now very 
low. I think we have a greater risk of membership disengagement because 
we keep talking politics instead of talking about interesting technical 
problems.

On 19/12/18 4:23 pm, Andrea Giacomelli wrote:
> Hi -
>
> I have been following this discussion with interest...however lately I 
> don't always follow OSGEO Discuss in a timely manner, so I don't have 
> all the elements fresh with me and I apologise.
>
> As a former vice-president and external relations guy for the Italian 
> OSGEO Chapter, and having before and after been involved in other 
> community-based organisations (both virtual and with 
> feet-on-the-ground)...
>
> my question is: is it better to invest time and energy to define a 
> code of conduct to avoid lobbies, or to acknowledge that the behaviour 
> termed by some Western civilizations as "lobbying" is pretty much 
> human and should just be factored in a process (while acknowledging 
> that there are also many individuals and organisations that *do not* 
> use it and have the same right to play their game)?
>
> I don't see a big issue with lobbies as long as they are declared.
>
> Andrea Giacomelli
> Culture, Environment, Open Innovation
> http://www.pibinko.org <http://www.pibinko.org/>
> info at pibinko.org <mailto:info at pibinko.org>
> +39 331 7539228
> P. IVA: 01582480537
>
>
> Il giorno mar 18 dic 2018 alle ore 21:41 Ben Caradoc-Davies 
> <ben at transient.nz <mailto:ben at transient.nz>> ha scritto:
>
>     I support this idea. It would be analogous to academic journals that
>     require authors to declare any conflicts of interest.
>
>     We might also adopt a rule, if we do not already have one, that, when
>     voting, members should act only to further the goals of OSGeo.
>     While I
>     do not expect that it would happen, I would not like to see an member
>     vote for a client or employer in exchange for consideration.
>     Adopting an
>     explicit rule would, in my view, help members resist external
>     pressure.
>
>     We must also balance the risk of lobbies with the need to support
>     members who are promoting OSGeo within their large organisations.
>     Having
>     several members in an organisation allows them to support each
>     other in
>     what can otherwise be a lonely position. Promotion of OSGeo through
>     mentoring and development of new members is one of our most valuable
>     forms of corporate outreach. In my view, any new rules should support
>     and not discourage these outreach activities. Transparent
>     disclosure may
>     be sufficient and better than proscriptive rules.
>
>     Kind regards,
>     Ben.
>
>     On 19/12/2018 00:45, Tom Chadwin wrote:
>     > Hello all
>     >
>     > Perhaps if we request a declaration of any relationship
>     (commercial or personal) between nominator/seconder and nominee,
>     that would make everything transparent, and allow members to judge
>     for themselves whether such relationships cast doubt on the
>     validity of the nominee?
>     >
>     > Thanks
>     >
>     > Tom
>
>     -- 
>     Ben Caradoc-Davies <ben at transient.nz <mailto:ben at transient.nz>>
>     Director
>     Transient Software Limited <https://transient.nz/>
>     New Zealand
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>
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-- 
Cameron Shorter
Technology Demystifier
Open Technologies and Geospatial Consultant

M +61 (0) 419 142 254

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