Got OpenNTF?
If you have an OpenNTF.org account, we
need you. For what, you ask? Lots of things.
Let's start with John's IP Working Group conference call on Friday. If you've contributed to an OpenNTF project, or you're thinking about contributing, you need to get on this call. John's going to present some information on the current code contribution process, what changes we're thinking of making, and why we need to have a proper process at all.
Don't know what the IP Working Group is? It's the Intellectual Property Working Group for OpenNTF. It's the group that talks about, ponders, pontificates, and ultimately proposes to the Steering Committee how OpenNTF need to manage contributions to make sure everyone stays out of legal trouble. This is not a trifling matter -- it's the single most important conversation happening at the site right now.
Don't know why you need to get in on the conversation? That's easy. Because if you DON'T, then John's going to recommend whatever he wants to the Steering Committee. And we're going to vote on it. If you didn't get in on the conversation, then your voice doesn't count. If you don't engage, then we don't know what you care about. And if we don't know what you care about, then we're only going to worry about the things WE care about. And that will probably piss you off.
So if you're not already participating, get in on the conversation, whether in the IP WG forum, or on the conference call. Anyone with a valid OpenNTF is welcome.
While you're at it, you should get in the Strategy Working Group forum as well. That's where we're going to be figuring out what OpenNTF actually DOES over the coming months and years. If you have an idea on how to evolve OpenNTF.org, this is the place to suggest it. Want to hear what we're thinking? That's where you can find it.
Now my fellow yellow bleeders -- if you've gone to these forums, you'll notice something interesting: it seems to be the John, Nathan & Niklas show over there. All the topics are from one of the 3 of us, and 90% of the conversation is us talking to one another.
Wait... aren't there 9 Steering Committee members? Yup, I just went and counted. There's 9. But only two steering committee members are involved in the conversation. Where's everybody else? Apparently, our 7 other colleagues are just slackers. They seem content to let the 3 of us do all the work.
I implore you: DON'T LET THEM. If you know of, or work for, another member of the Steering Committee, go ask them why they aren't fulfilling their responsibility as custodians of OpenNTF.org, and making sure we have a plurality of voices. Being on the Steering Committee isn't supposed to mean you sit back and rubber stamp your corporate logo on the site.
Even more importantly, get in on these forums and start talking. Start proposing. Start criticizing. Start participating. If you're a developer, an administrator, a manager, or just somebody who downloaded a template for managing your MP3 files one time 5 years ago, we want -- no, we NEED -- to hear from you. Right now.
Thanks.
(And yes, I really did throw the SC members under the bus. They told me all I could do was guilt them. So I'm doing it the best way I know how. Sorry fellas. But not really.)
Let's start with John's IP Working Group conference call on Friday. If you've contributed to an OpenNTF project, or you're thinking about contributing, you need to get on this call. John's going to present some information on the current code contribution process, what changes we're thinking of making, and why we need to have a proper process at all.
Don't know what the IP Working Group is? It's the Intellectual Property Working Group for OpenNTF. It's the group that talks about, ponders, pontificates, and ultimately proposes to the Steering Committee how OpenNTF need to manage contributions to make sure everyone stays out of legal trouble. This is not a trifling matter -- it's the single most important conversation happening at the site right now.
Don't know why you need to get in on the conversation? That's easy. Because if you DON'T, then John's going to recommend whatever he wants to the Steering Committee. And we're going to vote on it. If you didn't get in on the conversation, then your voice doesn't count. If you don't engage, then we don't know what you care about. And if we don't know what you care about, then we're only going to worry about the things WE care about. And that will probably piss you off.
So if you're not already participating, get in on the conversation, whether in the IP WG forum, or on the conference call. Anyone with a valid OpenNTF is welcome.
While you're at it, you should get in the Strategy Working Group forum as well. That's where we're going to be figuring out what OpenNTF actually DOES over the coming months and years. If you have an idea on how to evolve OpenNTF.org, this is the place to suggest it. Want to hear what we're thinking? That's where you can find it.
Now my fellow yellow bleeders -- if you've gone to these forums, you'll notice something interesting: it seems to be the John, Nathan & Niklas show over there. All the topics are from one of the 3 of us, and 90% of the conversation is us talking to one another.
Wait... aren't there 9 Steering Committee members? Yup, I just went and counted. There's 9. But only two steering committee members are involved in the conversation. Where's everybody else? Apparently, our 7 other colleagues are just slackers. They seem content to let the 3 of us do all the work.
I implore you: DON'T LET THEM. If you know of, or work for, another member of the Steering Committee, go ask them why they aren't fulfilling their responsibility as custodians of OpenNTF.org, and making sure we have a plurality of voices. Being on the Steering Committee isn't supposed to mean you sit back and rubber stamp your corporate logo on the site.
Even more importantly, get in on these forums and start talking. Start proposing. Start criticizing. Start participating. If you're a developer, an administrator, a manager, or just somebody who downloaded a template for managing your MP3 files one time 5 years ago, we want -- no, we NEED -- to hear from you. Right now.
Thanks.
(And yes, I really did throw the SC members under the bus. They told me all I could do was guilt them. So I'm doing it the best way I know how. Sorry fellas. But not really.)
Comments
A small but sincere suggestion: rather than explicitly mentioning only chefs, update things to refer explicitly to the Code Bin and the cooks. Maybe I'm the only one being so obsessive about it (fine, drop the "maybe"), but I have made the comment about "chefs only" a few times and people have agreed with me.
Posted by Rob McDonagh At 09:02:19 PM On 06/16/2009 |
Posted by Rob McDonagh At 08:46:08 PM On 06/16/2009 |
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 07:53:59 AM On 06/17/2009 |
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 10:32:36 PM On 06/16/2009 |
I was trying to figure out why I was so sure that only chefs were allowed, so I took another look at Nathan's quote ("Resolved:") - somebody used ie ("in other words") when they meant to use eg ("for example").
PS Julian, thanks for the hat, man! My bald head was getting awfully chilly over here!
Posted by Rob McDonagh At 09:35:08 PM On 06/16/2009 |
@8 Julian, we will be talking about resolutions to fix the mismatch in language for review on Friday. Those should go before the Steering Committee next week and be on the site as quick as possible after that.
Posted by John Head At 08:08:07 AM On 06/17/2009 |
Anyone who is eligible for the IP Working Group may attend. That includes all members of the Steering Committee and anyone who is a Project Chef.
{ Link }
Posted by Ben Poole At 06:28:57 AM On 06/17/2009 |
"Resolved that IP Working Group would be limited to Alliance member representatives and any past or current OpenNTF.org project contributor. (ie: Project Chefs)"
John may have been overzealous in the use of the word "chefs." The intent was and is to have people who have provided code, not just people who have been "in charge" of projects in some way. You are listed as a contributor on OpenLog, so you bet your ass we want your views expressed. Get your arrogant self in there.
The Strategy Working Group, by charter, is open to absolutely anyone who can authenticate with the OpenNTF.org server. If you have an ID, your voice is welcome. The only thing we don't want is anonymous content.
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 08:53:39 PM On 06/16/2009 |
The only reason we even specify contributors is because we wanted to make it clear that the discussion about the contribution process is really for contributors. But there's a good argument to be made that CONSUMERS of code should have a voice as to under what terms it should be made available.
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 09:05:40 PM On 06/16/2009 |
Nathan, thanks very much for posting this so more people can see it.
- Julian
Posted by Julian Robichaux At 09:28:46 PM On 06/16/2009 |
I know you know this, Rob, because you've already posted in the IP Working Group forum: { Link }
Posted by Nathan T. Freeman At 08:40:45 PM On 06/16/2009 |
But you are right.....
Posted by Bruce Elgort At 07:58:12 PM On 06/16/2009 |
John's posts, and the forum's rules of operation, clearly restrict access to people already involved in the SC or people who are chefs. Whoever made that rule probably thought the interested parties were all included in those groups. I'm not suggesting anything nefarious. But it has the effect of limiting debate, and I didn't think that was what you guys really wanted.
All of which is a long-winded way of saying: if you want more of us to speak up, let more of us in.
re: The rest of the SC - what Bruce said. You may have tossed them in the general vicinity of a slow-moving mass transit vehicle, but they earned it.
Posted by Rob McDonagh At 08:24:59 PM On 06/16/2009 |