Re: Decisions you didn't intend to make [Was: Minutes of the meeting (2006-07-31)]

[Jeff Waugh <jdub perkypants org>]

<quote who="Elijah Newren">

> > Note what I said: It's inappropriate for the release team - *alone, at
> > this time, with the non-specific discussion we've had so far on this
> > issue* - to make this decision.
> 
> Yes, I noted the assertion you made.  I asked if you could explain your
> assertion and give a reason why it was true, but you merely repeated it.
> Proof by assertion tends to leave me confused rather than clearing things
> up.  ;-)

I repeated it because from your reply, it was not clear you understood it,
and didn't go into the rationale because that was further on in my email. I
recommend reading through emails entirely before replying to them, otherwise
you might find yourself accusing people of things like "proof by assertion".

Meanwhile, it appears that you snipped the rationale from your reply, so you
are arguing without addressing the actual content of the discussion. I would
prefer it if you addressed the issue instead toying around with accusations.

> > Possibly - like I said above, I do not have an immediate idea about how
> > to fix this, and I am not willing to jump to any conclusions or make any
> > assumptions about it right now. That is another way to approach it, but
> > it is laden with additional problems ("FOUNDATION BOARD OVERRULES
> > RELEASE TEAM ON MONO DECISION" is a pretty clear message you could take
> > from it). I just
> 
> I think that'd be a poor way to see it.

Quite frankly - tough shit. If that's what we do, that's how it will be seen
by a fair portion of our audience (which is vastly bigger than the developer
community). You can't change that. I can't change that. We can only approach
the problem with this in mind. If you can't see the reality of this, or why
it's important, then you're not thinking enough about the messaging, and not
approaching the issue with a full appreciation of its importance.


The disappointing part is that this is a mess we simply didn't need to make.

- Jeff

-- 
linux.conf.au 2007: Sydney, Australia           http://lca2007.linux.org.au/
 
    "And the only time I met George W Bush, he said to me, 'Hey Mike! Go
              find real work.' Of all people!" - Michael Moore