Re: [board-discuss] Dividing & excluding ...

Hi Andreas,

Andreas Mantke wrote on 09/04/2022 14:17:

> > In an ideal world we would have volunteers with 20 years knowledge and
> > 100% spare time. Unfortunately bills need to be paid and we need to
> > care about the ecosystem. At least not to work against them.
> Yes, TDF needs to care about the ecosystem, but that ecosystem should be
> divers and not dominated by only one or two companies.

Of course it is good when there are more companies and more paid 
developers involved. And I think, looking from where we came 
(OpenOffice.org with one company having ~all the saying and control) I 
understand your concerns about a balance.
Also I think we did a wonderful job by how we set up TDF: it brings 
together all sort of stakeholders, people with all sorts of interest in 
the software we develop and makes sure that it is impossible that any 
single entity has a power that comes only close to what was in the past: 
representation in ESC, Board, MC from one single entity is max 33%.

And how much we as TDF can work to make the community an attractive 
place to be and to invest, so little influence we have on how the 
software market will develop. As is the case for our ecosystem partners 
too. But business people look to the world with different eyes, 
searching for or creating opportunities, which is an art on its own.
No doubt, it is pretty hard for a community, foundation, as TDF, to have 
influence on the powers in the market, other then what we do by our open 
development, efforts in mentoring, and the possibilities and demands of 
the software license.
And of course by tendering parts of development that are good for the 
whole project, but apparently are not picked up y community/ecosystem 
developers. And probably there is even a place for in house development 
to help areas that mostly left orphaned.

Our tenders also bring in a possibility for (relative) new-comers to 
find a place in the community. Tenders have a clear description, people 
around that can give more info, a number of expected number of days 
involved (as set by the ESC and/or developer providing info on the 
wiki). Getting more involved in the development of the software, for 
sure is one thing that may help growing a position in the market around 
LibreOffice.

And while not always perfect, I'm convinced that we are doing a great 
job in working in a fair, compliant, and transparent way. This is of 
major importance to help that people and companies feel welcome. Actions 
that may give the impression that companies are seen as threat, are not.

> Thus TDF needs to
> work on a strategy to solve this issue and attract more supplier (small,
> mid sized or big). One strategy to get ahead on this topic could it be
> to contract full-time developer (by TDF).

Indeed, I really look forward to spent my time for TDF/the BoD on the 
real needs of our community:  how do we get more people in, more 
developers, more companies that put trust in us.

Cheers,
Cor

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Cor Nouws, member Board of Directors
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