Choosing the Choosers

[Ed McNierney]

Paul -

I found your note a little confusing; I thought you were quoting
excerpts from the MTSC RFC document you referred to.  Some of those
questions are related to the MTSC's current charter, and those are
answered by the MTSC RFC (i.e. #1 through #3) - but some aren't.  I just
want to be sure to differentiate between existing agreements on MTSC
charter and behavior and suggested ideas about a new organization's
rules of the road.

I think it is absolutely essential to realize that there is a world of
difference between the body of code called MapServer and the "product"
called MapServer.  The MTSC is (and has been) an excellent body for
managing the "code" issues.  But as that same RFC says:

If it relates to changes in the code, it is technical. 
If it relates to how the developers cooperate, it is technical. 
If it relates to legal issues around code ownership it is technical. 
If it relates to documentation, or the web site it is not technical. 
If it relates to events such as conferences, it is not technical. 

And if it's not "technical" it is outside the MTSC's charter.
Documentation, web sites, conferences, marketing, seminars, business
partners, training, user groups, etc., etc. are all major issues and
projects beyond the scope of the MTSC.  Let's be sure we don't confuse
the two.

Your original question is a bit of a chicken-and-egg problem.  The
answer to "who should make decisions" depends on the answer to "what
questions are you asking?"  For example, if the Foundation is to be
responsible for product naming, branding, and identity, I would suggest
that the answer is not "make decisions by polling a random bunch of
people on an email list" <g>.

The original open letter announcement said:

"The primary responsibilities of the foundation may include:

    * Support code repository and other project infrastructure
    * Formalized process for decision-making (e.g. where to host the
next conference)
    * Legal protection for the source code and developers of the
software
    * Paying for development work on minor improvements of the platform
    * Acting as a central repository for marketing, branding and
professional image development of the product
    * Providing process for mitigating disputes
    * Financial support for advocacy, sponsorship, community events and
conferences" 

It may be helpful to consider a refined draft of the Foundation's
proposed responsibilities and goals before trying to answer the question
of how it should be managed.

	- Ed

Ed McNierney
President and Chief Mapmaker
TopoZone.com / Maps a la carte, Inc.
73 Princeton Street, Suite 305
North Chelmsford, MA  01863
Phone: +1 (978) 251-4242
Fax: +1 (978) 251-1396
ed at topozone.com 

-----Original Message-----
From: UMN MapServer Users List [mailto:MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU] On
Behalf Of Paul Ramsey
Sent: Friday, December 16, 2005 7:23 PM
To: MAPSERVER-USERS at LISTS.UMN.EDU
Subject: Re: [UMN_MAPSERVER-USERS] Choosing the Choosers

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