[GnomeMeeting-devel-list] Apologies

[Craig Southeren <craigs postincrement com>]

To all,

   I'm incredibly disappointed and upset at the mail exchanges last
night (my time) regarding the simple question of how video devices
should be named in OpenH323/GnomeMeeting. It's a fairly simple technical
issue, but the discussion seemed to have uncovered some deeply hidden
feelings in several quarters

   I accept a large part of the blame for this esclation. I saw early on
where this was headed and I tried to disengage but I let myself get
dragged back in again.

   I doubt this issue will ever be resolved to the satisfaction of
everyone involved, but I want to say a few things on the public record
whether they are beleived or not.

1) I think GnomeMeeting is an excellent program, and Damien Sandras has
done a superb job as an advocate of Open Source, as a promoter of
OpenH323, and as creator, coordinator and main programmer of the
GnomeMeeting project. Damien deserves all of the credit for making GM
the success it is, and for creating an environment that allows his project
to respond quickly to a real needs from real users. I apologise
unreservedly for any comments I have made that implied I might think
otherwise, and I look forward to working with Damien and all of the
GnomeMeeting team in the future if they decide to do so.

2) The fact that I do not run GnomeMeeting myself is not intended as a
statement regarding the quality of the GM user interface, or of the
coding it contains. It's simply a result of my preference to use a
Windows desktop rather than a Linux desktop for my daily work. I'm
really looking forward to having GM on Windows so I can finally ditch
NetMeeting once and for all. I've recommended GM as a voice/video
application for Linux in the past, and will continue to do.

3) I would like to personally thank Snark (aka Julien Puydt) who wrote
the first version of device plugins for GM and PWLib, and who worked
with me to create the code now in use. Without his help and assistance,
that code would not exist and we would all be poorer for it. Any
comments I have made on the quality of the plugin code is a reflection
of my own inability to understand the problems involved, and my lack of
time to implement solutions to those problems. I apologise unreservedly
for any comments that indicated a lack of gratitude for his work and
contributions.

4) The quality of code in a software project is always a reflection of
how much the coders and designers care about making sure it is the best
it can be. Robust arguments are an important part of that process, and
are an inevitable result when strong wills and even stronger opinions
collide. In the end, we should remember that we're all trying to get to
the same place.

  Craig

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
 Craig Southeren      craigs postincrement com / craigs voxgratia org

 Phone:  +61 243654666      ICQ: #86852844
 Fax:    +61 243673140      MSN: craig_southeren hotmail com
 Mobile: +61 417231046   Jabber: craigs jabber voxgratia org

 Post Increment - Consulting & Services    http://www.postincrement.com
 Vox Gratia - The Open Source VoIP portal  http://www.voxgratia.org
 Raving Of A Strange Mind - the VoIP blog  http://www.southeren.com/blog