Re: Candidacy: Ryan Lortie

[Andy Wingo <wingo pobox com>]

Hi Ryan,

Thanks for your answers.  They were thoughtful, as you are.

On Mon 23 May 2011 22:38, Ryan Lortie <desrt desrt ca> writes:

> More generally, though, during the last cycle I've heard a lot of talk
> from many different people about many decisions that seemed to be made
> in an opaque way.  The removal of screensavers and the addition of the
> gnome-session 'fail whale' come to mind as two decisions that I've heard
> a lot of complaints about.
>
> I'm not saying that I disagree with those choices or that every single
> decision should be run past some central body, but it would be nice if
> such a thing was even a possibility and it would be _really_ nice if I
> could point people there when they share their complaints with me.

Clarity and cohesion are laudable goals, but I think that you are misled
when you suggest hierarchy as the answer.  Free software means different
things to different folks, so I won't presume to say what it means to
you; but to me it's just as much about process as it is about product.
I love hacking, and being able to hack with others, but without coercion
or control, is one of the most attractive things about our "movement"
(if you consider it as such, and I do).

I guess what I'm saying is that IMHO you would do better to focus your
considerable powers towards more communication, and better collective
decision-making among maintainers, than on the creation of a small group
of structurally empowered people.

(Of course, this is not to suggest that everyone's opinion have the same
weight.  Anyone with half a brain will listen very carefully when Owen
speaks, for example.)

Regards,

Andy
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