Hi Thorsten, all,
TDF's mission surely also includes catering for 'business' users.
Our ability to perform that will grow over time (remember, we're
starting this organisation from scratch) - and encouraging people
who can afford it to get paid support from one of our member
companies helps the project a lot.
Yes, and I was not questioning the fact that TDF _needs_ to cater to
businesses, in whichever way it may decide to do so, merely the absence
of a clear public statement to that effect. If TDF want normal "run of
the mill" businesses to adhere to the using/supporting of LibreOffice,
then they require clear direction. As Sophie has mentioned, clear
communication is vital, and I just don't see that at present (or perhaps
I haven't looked hard enough).
Now, for your notion that you don't have a say - in fact you have,
as a member of the project, you can collectively influence many more
things than there was ever possible at OOo - including how money is
spent in the future. Please *do* feel encouraged to apply for
membership - if you want to affect change, that's the best advice I
can give.
Actually, I have never doubted that, and my words certainly weren't
intended to be taken that way. If I were not to have a say at all, I
would probably already have been banned from the lists as a
trouble-maker
As to membership, well I have now been invited to apply by at least 4
different people within TDF - I feel very flattered :-)) However, I am a
bit of a stickler for the "what am I getting myself into ?" question
(sorry, its a lawyer thing) : committing oneself to the project without
knowing all the rules (both spoken/written and unspoken/unwritten - in
fact there should never be unspoken rules in a truly open project)
upfront is not something I do lightly. Again, it all comes down to
communication. All of us "oldies" know how difficult communication was
with Sun at times, and I am sincerely concerned that "we" are heading
down the same road. For a project with its current past history not to
have learned from that past history that good communication is an
overriding factor when so many different "cultures (both linguistic,
commercial and technical" are involved is, for me personally at least, a
major cause for concern.
But I hear your reply already : "Then become a member and help change
things"
I might just do that.
Alex