Re: 10 Questions for All Candidates (Part II)

[Tim Ney <ten gnome org>]

> 1) Why are you running for Board of Directors?

While the strength of GNOME is the code and the hackers who contribute
it, the board needs to have a balance of experience to guide the
activities and policies of GNOME Foundation.  I want to see the balance
of opinion and cooperative system of decision making which the current
board of directors has maintained during its term continue into the next
year.   


> 2) Do you have leadership and committee experience? If so, please 
> explain.

I have a good range of experience in setting up non-profits and serving
on several boards such as a credit union and arts organizations.  I've
served on and chaired a number of volunteer committees, particularly
those that have to do with public relations and fundraising. I've also
assembled panels to review applications for state and federal funding.


> 3) How familiar are you with the day-to-day happenings of GNOME?  How 
> much do you follow and participate in the main GNOME mailing lists?

Since I work with GNOME Foundation on a day-to-day basis, I'm
clueful of what is going on.  I follow some GNOME mailing lists and
talk to various hackers whenever I have the opportunity.  Also, talking
to users at conferences has helped me to understand both where GNOME is 
and where it might be in the future.  


> 4) One of the primary tasks of the Board of Directors is to act as a
> liason between the GNOME Foundation and other organizations and
> companies to find out how the two groups can work together to their 
> mutual benefit. Do you feel you would be good at understanding other 
> people and companies and finding ways that GNOME can collaborate with 
> other companies and organizations to benefit both groups and their 
> users?

One of my greatest attributes is my ability to find areas of common 
interest among individuals and organizations.  I enjoy the collaborative
process and think it can be greatly expanded for the benefit of GNOME.
The Advisory Board is a valuable resource.  Recently, I've gathered a
group of reps from companies to help Leslie Proctor with marketing and
outreach.  Now that GNOME is the cross-platform desktop, we have a wider
reach available to us.  While some members may think that the board has 
little impact, it is the board that can strengthen collaboration and
garner involvement from companies. This takes time, patience and
communication.  


> 5) One of the responsibilities and powers of the Board of Directors is
> to identify organizational weaknesses and needs of GNOME and to create
> committees, appoint coordinators of these committess, and act as 
> liasons with them.  What do you believe are the current weak points of
> GNOME as an organization, and if you were able to, how would you 
> change the GNOME organization?

I don't think that the GNOME organization needs to be changed, just
enhanced.  We have strong project groups for accessibility,
documentation, translation, usability, and webhacking.  There needs to
be more external communication from those groups, much in the way the
2.0 release committee (through Maciej and Jeff Waugh) gives updates to
the board and the marketing group. Havoc has guided the board agenda and
meetings with an even hand creating a good equilibrium with Miguel's
energy and the key expertise of others.

If a project, like documentation, needs more volunteers or resources,
then the board should help get them.  I think GNOME needs to be
more proactive in geographical regions where there aren't many hackers
and adoption is weak.


> 6) The board meets for one hour every two weeks to discuss a handful 
> of issues.  Thus, it is very important that the board can very quickly
> and concisely discuss each topic and come to concensus on each item 
> for discussion. Are you good at working with others, who sometimes 
> have very differing opinions than you do, to reach concensus and agree
> on actions?

One strong point of the current board members is the way in which
they work cooperatively together and make decisions through consensus.
They have a respect for each other and try not put their own companies,
politics and egos before the interests of GNOME.  I can not stress
enough how important this is. I would hate to see this process disrupted
and will strive to keep the meetings open to discussion and free to
consensus.  I will put the needs of the GNOME Foundation before any
personal agenda that I may have and would recuse myself if there was a
conflict of interest.

> 7) Often Directors have to draft policies, form committees, find
> weaknesses or approaching problems of GNOME and work on solutions, and
> act as liason with various groups (both within and outside GNOME) and
> companies.  Please name three or more areas which you feel are 
> important for the Board to address over the next year and which you 
> would enjoy contributing some of your time to help get things started 
> and possibly act as a liason between the Board and any other 
> committees, groups, or companies if relevant.

This is an easy question.  The board should identify areas where steps
need to be taken, then initiate and follow-up with the right actions.  I
agree with people who have mentioned the following:

*Documentation
*GNOME events - GUADEC, hackfests and road shows to reach LUGs, users  
and companies.  
*Fonts, Interoperability and the website
*Licensing and patents
*White Papers

I'd add:
*Outreach
*GNOME trademark

> 8) Do you consider yourself diplomatic?  Would you make a good
> representative for the GNOME Foundation to the Membership, media, 
> public, and organizations and corporations the GNOME Foundation works 
> with?

I am diplomatic.  I have represented GNOME to the media, chairing the
first press conference for the release of 1.0, working with industry
leaders to promote GNOME and moderating panel discussions on GNOME and
free software at conferences. I'd like to see GNOME become more popular
and receive more coverage.  We need reports in the media that are
accurate and, hopefully, favorable. I find being diplomatic goes a long
way.  You can be firm, truthful and diplomatic at the same time.


> 9) Will you represent the interests of GNOME and the GNOME Foundation 
> over all other personal or corporate interests you may represent?

Yes, that's not a problem.


> 10) Will you be willing and have the available time to take on and
> complete various tasks that the Board needs accomplished?

Yes, I am willing to commit extra time, as needed, to get things done.
Working with GNOME has always been fun and I hope it will continue that
way!

I'm on the campaign trail and have to go kiss babies,

tim