Re: [tdf-discuss] [SC] How to define "Membership" within TDF?

Hello Gianluca,


Le Tue, 19 Oct 2010 13:37:02 +0200,
"Gianluca Turconi" <ml@letturefantastiche.com> a écrit :

> In data 18 ottobre 2010 alle ore 18:44:25, André Schnabel  
> <andre.schnabel@gmx.net> ha scritto:
>
> > To get things started, I put some notes at the wiki:
> >    http://wiki.documentfoundation.org/TDF/Membership
>
> I've read that post, but I think you're reiterating an old
> misconception by confusing the Document Foundation with the wider
> LibreOffice Community.
>
> I'll try to explain why.
>
> The Document Foundation should be like the kernel (or nucleus of a
> cell) that pursue specific purposes (included in its Charter) that
> the rest of the system (or cell, the Community) considers valuable
> and agrees to support.
>
> What the TDF does and who formally belongs to its organization may  
> substantially differ from who cooperate with and belongs to the wider
> OOo community.
>
> Hypothetical example: Google Corp. develops a large chunk of code
> for LibreOffice. It's an important contribution, of course, and
> Google would belong to the wider LibO community, but is this big
> contribution enough to join the steering group of TDF?
>
> IMO, no, because you should contribute *and* formally and publicly
> share TDF principles *in the past and present and facts*, in order to
> join the foundation steering institutions.
>
> Another hypothetical example: tomorrow, Microsoft CEO wakes up and
> says to TDF: "Here is a 20 million per year check in order to develop
> XYZ future in LibreOffice, can we join TDF and its steering group?"
> The twenty million income is surely a good thing ;-) , but I would
> expect from TDF a reply like this: "Wait, we know your past. Join the
> wider LibreOffice Community by paying independent developers,
> sponsoring events and projects and then we'll evaluate your
> application for membership. In a nutshell: we have to trust you in
> the facts during a rather long period of time."
>
> Google has a past of open source and open formats support. It may be
> a good member. Microsoft, instead... Well, it's Microsoft.
>
> IMVHO, a double request, contribution *and* acceptation *in the
> facts* of the Charter's purposes, should be the base of any
> "membership" within TDF.
>
> Of course, such approach involves a "cooptative membership procedure"
> in which the current TDF members evaluate the actual contribution
> and previous commitment to the Charter's purposes and Libreffice
> Community made by the membership applicant.
>
> Indeed, always IMO, it's better a tinier group of members but with a  
> strong and evident commitment to the Charter's purposes rather than
> a larger group with a questionable background and composed by members
> who are contributing for *their* own purposes.

I can understand why you want to make that distinction. My own
interpretation, aside the fact that we stated at the beginning what we
hear by "member", is that how we define the membership applies to
anyone, but it is based on its role and contribution. An individual
should be able to contribute and be recognized as a member. As such, no
corporation, who might also be a member, shall be recognized as having
a higher footing; contributions are what matters only. Perhaps I did
misunderstand you there, but there is of course another kind of
community, which is often referred as "an user community". 

I don't think we should have particular membership rules for general
users, but if any user wants to contribute (based on the criteria
defined on the page we're talking about), he/she should be welcome,
encouraged and, based on his/her contributions, become a member
according to these simple criteria. Users either go to users mailing
lists (and we will /can/ should come up with specific mailing list
courtesy rules and best practices, but that's the only thing needed
imho). Is that what you had in mind?

Best,



-- 
Charles-H. Schulz
Membre du Comité exécutif
The Document Foundation.

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