Choosing the Choosers

[Paul Ramsey]

The original MTSC RFC document is available here: <http:// 
mapserver.gis.umn.edu/development/rfc/ms-rfc-1/>

On Dec 16, 2005, at 3:14 PM, Chip Taylor wrote:

>   1. Who chooses the MTSC?

Other members of the MTSC.

>   2. What qualifies a person to be a member of the MTSC?

Sustained contribution to the Mapserver project, as judged by  
existing members of the MTSC.

>   3. What is the term of office?

Until the member ceases their sustained contribution and the other  
MTSC members ask for removal.

>   4. Is this a paid position (or envisioned to be one)?

No (no).

>   5. What is the process the MTSC will use to decide what the  
> Foundation
> does?

Using the voting rules in the RFC above, and open discussions of  
issues, in this forum or perhaps another one, but a public one.

>   6. No foundation can truly exist without a charter!

No foundation does exist, and the shape of the charter that is  
acceptable to the Mapserver community is one of the things the MTSC  
would be asked to decide on.  The MTSC itself already has a charter,  
in the form of the RFC referenced above.

I hope that clarifies.

Paul

>
> My 38 cents (American) worth.
> Chip Taylor
> Prepared Response, Inc.
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: UMN MapServer Users List [mailto:MAPSERVER- 
>> USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU] On
>> Behalf Of Paul Ramsey
>> Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 3:06 PM
>> To: MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU
>> Subject: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] Choosing the Choosers
>>
>> Mapserverers:
>>
>> You may have noticed that things have been relatively quiet since the
>> initial Mapserver Foundation open letter, and associated flurry of
>> response.  One of the reasons is that the folks behind the open
>> letter are a little shell shocked and trying to figure out how to
>> move forward in a way that is both inclusive and not hopelessly
>> inefficient.
>>
>> The big question they are wrestling with is:  Who can make decisions
>> on matters regarding the future of Mapserver?
>>
>> It is not an easy problem, because among the questions that have to
>> be answered are:
>>
>> - Should Mapserver join a 'Foundation' at all?
>> - If so, under what terms of membership?
>> - If so, under what name?
>>
>> I would put to you, the 'community at large' the proposition that
>> Mapserver already has a good decision making body that has the
>> interests of Mapserver at heart: the Mapserver Technical Steering
>> Committee.  The MTSC can make the final decisions on all of the above
>> questions quite capably providing they:
>>
>> - Take the temperature of the overall community before making big
>> decisions.
>> - Hold their discussions in an open forum so all viewpoints get a
>> hearing.
>>
>> The MTSC might want to add some advisory members, so they feel that
>> their voting numbers reflect a broader community, and I think that is
>> reasonable too, again, as long as they first put the names out for a
>> public hearing and make sure there are no substantive objections to
>> their choices.
>>
>> So, I put the question to you, do you feel comfortable with the MTSC
>> making some 'big decisions' for Mapserver over the next few months,
>> providing that they make their decisions within an open framework of
>> discussion?
>>
>> For the record, the current members of the MTSC are: Steve Lime
>> (Chair), Daniel Morissette, Frank Warmerdam, Sean Gilles, Assefa
>> Yewondwossen, Howard Butler and Perry Nacionales.
>>
>> Paul