[Incubator] Rasdaman as a 'Benevolent dictatorship' Project: was [rasdaman-dev] patch quality

Thu Aug 1 06:51:51 PDT 2013

Hi Bruce,

On 08/01/2013 04:18 AM, Bruce Bannerman wrote:
> Peter,
>
> This is the first that I've seen Rasdaman declared as operating under a 
> 'Benevolent Dictatorship' model. I'm not sure what discussion has gone into 
> this declaration. I have certainly not seen any discussion on the public 
> Rasdaman lists.
>
> This declaration has implications for Rasdaman continuing as an OSGeo Project 
> in incubation.
>
> I suggest that the Rasdaman Community, pause and consider how to move forward 
> as an open source project.

I hope pausing does not mean we should stop doing good things while we are 
trying to improve :)

For sure we still have a learning curve wrt organization - hard for us 
open-source projects to do all to perfection.
While I will keep a final say when it comes to disputes, logistics certainly 
includes setting up a board, committers, and procedures to grab them.

Currently we are preparing for the review of a 11-partner project we are 
leading, so don't expect too much in the next 2 months. Stay tuned...

cheers,
Peter

>
>
> Prior to discussing this further in this email, I'd like to make two 
> observations as the OSGeo Mentor for the Rasdaman Community:
>
> - I am pleased to see how the Rasdaman Community is starting to work together 
> and develop some real momentum as an open source project. There has been a 
> marked increase in the pace of the work that is occurring within the community 
> now when compared to where we were several years ago. The community is 
> starting to bed down some good code development and release management 
> processes that bode well for the future of the Project.
>
> - I am also pleased to see key members of the community take an active 
> leadership role in developing appropriate open spatial standards. You are 
> being very effective in this work. The spatial community as a whole benefit 
> from your tenacity.
>
>
> The issue that we face is that of the Rasdaman Project operating as a 
> 'Benevolent Dictatorship'.
>
> This is at odds with what OSGeo is trying to achieve through the Incubation 
> process that Rasdaman requested to undertake and was accepted into, in good faith.
>
> You may recall one of the factors that is considered for OSGeo Graduation [1]:
>
> "/The project has demonstrated ...[an] active and healthy community://
> //...//
> //Long term viability of the project is demonstrated by showing participation 
> and direction from multiple developers, who come from multiple organisations.//
> //Eg. The project is resilient enough to sustain loss of a developer or 
> supporting organisation, often referred to as having a high bus factor. 
> Decisions are made openly instead of behind closed doors, which empowers all 
> developers to take ownership of the project and facilitates spreading of 
> knowledge between current and future team members./"
>
>
> In my comments in my last report to the OSGeo Incubation Committee [2], I 
> noted a number of issues that reflected an apparent lack of open process about 
> how any community member can participate, including in the decision making 
> process of the project, and through effort, commitment and merit can earn a 
> position of trust as a community leader.
>
> We are trying to establish a robust community that can survive the departure 
> of key people and still continue and thrive.
>
>
> With the 'benevolent dictatorship' declaration, I can see that we have an 
> impasse that needs to be addressed.
>
> I can accept that during the early stages of the formation of a community that 
> strong leadership from a few key people is desirable to get momentum going.
>
> However, as a project progresses, other community members also develop a good 
> understanding of the technology and potential future directions. They may also 
> have strong skills to bring into a leadership role.
>
> I believe that all community members should have the right to contribute on 
> merit. This includes in leadership roles. The best approach on how to deal 
> with a problem should be accepted, regardless of who originates it.
>
> Where there is an impasse, it is useful to have a small group of people in a 
> steering committee type of role who can help defuse and resolve issues within 
> a clearly defined process.
>
>
>
> As we stand now, with the 'benevolent dictatorship' approach, I cannot in good 
> faith recommend to the OSGeo Incubation Committee is ready to graduate from 
> the Incubation process.
>
>
> We are not too far from completing the OSGeo Graduation process, if we can 
> resolve this issue and move forward with establishing robust and open processes.
>
>
> I recommend to the Rasdaman Community that you undertake a robust and rigorous 
> discussion on how you'd like to move forward as a community.
>
> For consideration.
>
> Bruce
>
>
> [1] http://www.osgeo.org/incubator/process/project_graduation_checklist.html
>
> [2] http://wiki.osgeo.org/wiki/IncCom_Report22
>
>
>
> On 30/07/13 4:53 PM, "Peter Baumann" <p.baumann at jacobs-university.de 
> <mailto:p.baumann at jacobs-university.de>>
> wrote:
>
> >Bruce,
> >
> >as below:
> >
> >On 07/30/2013 02:53 AM, Bruce Bannerman wrote:
> >> Peter,
> >>
> >> Out of interest:
> >>
> >> What process are we using to review and accept contributed patches?
> >
> >the patch manager page accepts submissions, which are reviewed by
> >committers
> >internally. Everyone can commit, upon doubts we discuss. Accepted or
> >rejected,
> >submitters get notified.
> >
> >>
> >> Who undertakes this work?
> >
> >committers currently are:
> >Peter Baumann
> >Dimitar Misev
> >Stephan Meissl
> >
> >>
> >> Do we have a formal group of 'committers' to undertake this task?
> >
> >the above ones who get active depending on availability (we have a quite
> >high
> >submission frequency).
> >
> >>
> >> How do community members become committers? What process is used?
> >
> >as Piero mentioned recently: we have the "benevolent dictatorship"
> >variant in place.
> >open and free discussion, and everybody for sure is heard, but I reserve
> >the
> >right for an ultimate decision.
> >
> >-Peter
> >
> >
> >>
> >> Bruce
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> On 29/07/13 5:24 PM, "Peter Baumann" <p.baumann at jacobs-university.de 
> <mailto:p.baumann at jacobs-university.de>>
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Dear contributors,
> >>>
> >>> continuously you are greatly enhancing rasdaman. Please take care of
> >>>the
> >>> advice
> >>> given on the patch submission page, in particular the code guide.
> >>> Frequent issues which may lead to rejection of a patch:
> >>> - no test provided for the fix/enhancement
> >>> - code guide violated, most commonly: formatting, use of variables
> >>> - fix addresses local problem reported, but obviously leaves open the
> >>> "hole" for
> >>> other, similar situations
> >>>
> >>> In particular fixes submitted against master must adhere to our
> >>> guidelines.
> >>>
> >>> thanks for caring, and keep on doing good things,
> >>> Peter
> >>>
> >>> PS: an announcement: having Susanne on board now (she comes from the
> >>> PostgreSQL
> >>> and MySQL communities) we are getting further insights into OS code
> >>> management.
> >>> Stay tuned, she has spotted our petascope error handling!
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> Dr. Peter Baumann
> >>>   - Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen
> >>> www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann 
> <http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann>
> >>>     mail: p.baumann at jacobs-university.de 
> <mailto:p.baumann at jacobs-university.de>
> >>>     tel: +49-421-200-3178 <tel:%2B49-421-200-3178>, fax: 
> +49-421-200-493178 <tel:%2B49-421-200-493178>
> >>>   - Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)
> >>> www.rasdaman.com <http://www.rasdaman.com>, mail: baumann at rasdaman.com 
> <mailto:baumann at rasdaman.com>
> >>>     tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: +49-173-5837882 
> <tel:%2B49-173-5837882>
> >>> "Si forte in alienas manus oberraverit hec peregrina epistola incertis
> >>> ventis dimissa, sed Deo commendata, precamur ut ei reddatur cui soli
> >>> destinata, nec preripiat quisquam non sibi parata." (mail disclaimer,
> >>>AD
> >>> 1083)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> --
> >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google
> >>>Groups
> >>> "rasdaman-dev" group.
> >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send
> >>>an
> >>> email to rasdaman-dev+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com 
> <mailto:rasdaman-dev%2Bunsubscribe at googlegroups.com>.
> >>> To post to this group, send email to rasdaman-dev at googlegroups.com 
> <mailto:rasdaman-dev at googlegroups.com>.
> >>> Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rasdaman-dev.
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >--
> >Dr. Peter Baumann
> >  - Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen
> > www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann 
> <http://www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann>
> >    mail: p.baumann at jacobs-university.de <mailto:p.baumann at jacobs-university.de>
> >    tel: +49-421-200-3178 <tel:%2B49-421-200-3178>, fax: +49-421-200-493178 
> <tel:%2B49-421-200-493178>
> >  - Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)
> > www.rasdaman.com <http://www.rasdaman.com>, mail: baumann at rasdaman.com 
> <mailto:baumann at rasdaman.com>
> >    tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: +49-173-5837882 
> <tel:%2B49-173-5837882>
> >"Si forte in alienas manus oberraverit hec peregrina epistola incertis
> >ventis dimissa, sed Deo commendata, precamur ut ei reddatur cui soli
> >destinata, nec preripiat quisquam non sibi parata." (mail disclaimer, AD
> >1083)
> >
> >
> >--
> >You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups
> >"rasdaman-dev" group.
> >To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an
> >email to rasdaman-dev+unsubscribe at googlegroups.com 
> <mailto:rasdaman-dev%2Bunsubscribe at googlegroups.com>.
> >To post to this group, send email to rasdaman-dev at googlegroups.com 
> <mailto:rasdaman-dev at googlegroups.com>.
> >Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/rasdaman-dev.
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Incubator mailing list
> Incubator at lists.osgeo.org
> http://lists.osgeo.org/mailman/listinfo/incubator

-- 
Dr. Peter Baumann
  - Professor of Computer Science, Jacobs University Bremen
    www.faculty.jacobs-university.de/pbaumann
    mail: p.baumann at jacobs-university.de
    tel: +49-421-200-3178, fax: +49-421-200-493178
  - Executive Director, rasdaman GmbH Bremen (HRB 26793)
    www.rasdaman.com, mail: baumann at rasdaman.com
    tel: 0800-rasdaman, fax: 0800-rasdafax, mobile: +49-173-5837882
"Si forte in alienas manus oberraverit hec peregrina epistola incertis ventis dimissa, sed Deo commendata, precamur ut ei reddatur cui soli destinata, nec preripiat quisquam non sibi parata." (mail disclaimer, AD 1083)

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.osgeo.org/pipermail/incubator/attachments/20130801/e652fdbe/attachment-0001.html>