[Framework-Team] Re: Re: Re: Re: Release roadmap for 3.0

[Martin Aspeli]

On Thu, 11 May 2006 01:10:30 +0100, Alec Mitchell  
<apm13 at columbia.edu> wrote:

> I also agree with everything that you are saying, with the
> clarification that such cheerleading is done by each team member
> individually, just as it may be done by any other active member of the
> community (though it of course might carry more weight coming from an
> FT member), and is done with an agenda set by that member personally.  
> The team should not really be making official decisions about which
> PLIPs to encourage, and no members of the team are required to do such
> cheerleading (though it is hoped that all of you have enough interest
> in some particular features to help move them forward).

I think that pretty much sums it up, except for one thing: the team is not  
secret, and I think that creates certain expectations.

If Rocky made a post saying "damn it, guys, let's get it together" for the  
2.5 release, it'd carry a certain weight. I'd like to argue that (for  
better or for worse), if he made that same post for the 3.0 release, it  
would carry more weight, even with exactly the same phrasing and no  
mention of the framework team whatsoever, because it is known that he's a  
member of that team, and that team makes decisions. The same would  
obviously go for all the rest of the team.

So, either we could ban team members from making such statements, lest it  
be misunderstood. I think this would be a terrible idea, because we've  
tied up 7 of our (hopefully) brightest minds in the team for a good  
reason, but they have other roles to play in the community as well. Or, we  
could put big disclaimers on everything we post, but I doubt they'd be  
very effective, because people still know we make decisions, and no-one  
would believe in our complete objectivity. I have some things I believe  
are important for 3.0 and you can bet I'll be pushing them hard.  
Ultimately, I only have one vote, of course, so it may not matter.

Or, we could acknowledge that this situation will likely arise, and also,  
I hope, agree that there *is* a need for someone to cheerlead, to  
encourage and sometimes even ebarrass[1] people into getting things done -  
and perhaps more importantly, getting things done in a *timely* manner -  
for the good of the whole community.

So then the question becomes, who does that? Do we have a role to play  
there too? At present, I guess we don't, but maybe we should? Or maybe  
someone else should? At least I think we should discuss it. :)

Martin

[1] Embarassment-Driven-Development .... Limi says he's going to write a  
book about it.

-- 
"You can just adapt yourself out of it..." // Archipelago sprint 26/04/2006