Re: Special GNOME event in California next week

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Dan Winship">

> Seriously though, this "surprise announcement" stuff is exactly the sort
> of behavior that the community despises when Novell[1] and Red Hat[2] do
> it, and now we're doing it to ourselves???

So, when it's announced, you'll find that it's not at all like dumping lumps
of code on the community without warning or participation. :-)

> And if the secrecy isn't actually *necessary*, then WTF?

I understand this reaction, but: Those paying attention will very likely
know what it's about already, and that it has actually been mentioned in
public already. The appearance of mystery [1] allows us to have an event,
make a big announcement, and hopefully generate the kind of buzz and press
coverage that we *very* rarely get the opportunity to exploit, given that
all our work is done in public.

I am particularly sensitive to the issues you've raised here, and they've
been at the top of my mind working on this over the last 9 or so months. I
am satisfied that it has been consultative (with a particular subset of the
community), in line with GNOME's mission, acceptable to the Board (I am 100%
responsible to the Board for doing this right), and not a subversion of the
desired natural order of GNOME decision making [2].

We're announcing something "simply awesome" on Thursday. Sure, we could've
just blogged about it, but that would be a terrible opportunity to waste!

- Jeff

[1] Good lord! But that's what it is, really.
[2] Now that's a bizaare sentence.

-- 
Open CeBIT 2007: Sydney, Australia              http://www.opencebit.com.au/