Re: Part of me is laughing, part of me is crying

[Bowie Poag <bjp primenet com>]

> Bowie wants to take the more structured approach to the writing of the style
> guide.  Tom wants to go about it with a bit more of an open strategy.  Both are
> right, and both are wrong.

Bowie has EXPERIENCE dealing with these kinds of projects. Tom does not.
Bowie's experience tells him that a completely open approach to developing
a document of this kind will fail miserably. Tom doesn't listen. Bowie
waits for Tom to figure it out for himself.

And meanwhile, while we all wait for Tom, we all suffer through 150 emails
a day of pure chaos and confusion. 

> 
> There seems to be a basic document at hand, with a decent foundation and a good
> idea of the points that need to be resolved before the document can be
> considered a document at all.  We also have to recognize the fact that
> accomplishing such a task must not take forever, as we do want Gnome to be a
> usuable product within our lifetimes.  So, do it the right way.  Give everyone
> a say.  But, how do you do this without having the total mass of confusion and
> flaming that has been ever so present on this list in the past?  Well, its
> simple really.
> 
> First of all, appoint some sort of moderator.  Not a maintainer, a doer of all
> things, a god, a demigod, a worshipped figure.  No, someone with a decent head
> on their shoulders, and good communication skills. 

This is actually my job, since I was appointed by Frederico to head up
this project. Tom apparently doesn't want to recognize my authority here.
And again, as a result, we all have 150 emails of pure confusion per day
to deal with, as a result.

What you're suggestion is what I've said all along.. You CANT develop a
document of this nature, in a totally, completely open environment. The
result is anarchy. The process must be OPEN, BUT CONTROLLED.. And nobody's
listening.  We're too busy arguing pathetic crap like whether or not we
should be using a weenie picture of a footprint, use some bizzare word
"Prog", or whatever. You call this progress?

There  needs to be one style guide. Not two, not three, not four. And the
only way this is going to happen, would be if someone either A) Told Tom
to fall into line with the rest of the list, and quit trying to drive the
whole style guide effort into the ground by splintering off and making
noise on the mailing list, or B) Remove Tom from the mailing list
completely.

Tom has good ideas that we can all benefit from. I dont think he should be
removed from the list. But if his participation on the list is being done
in a matter which totally blows the creative focus of others, then he
should be dropped. You CANT develop a document like this completely out in
the open. It wont WORK. Trust me, i've been down that path--I already HAVE
the experience to tell you that its not going to work. Now, you have the
proof. The train is completely derailed here, just like I and others said
it would.

Tom elected to disregard my advice. So, now he, and everyone else on the
mailing list has to suffer for it? And you want THIS guy to head up a
project? Uh-huh..oookay.

Bowie