> While I'm a LinuxCNC user (and a relatively new user at that) and not a
> developer, and as such may not be entitled to any opinion on the
> development process, I nonetheless have a few. :-)
>
Good that's what we want.
> I'd first like to say that I'm very appreciative of the work that's gone
> into LinuxCNC... on the development side and the support side. A big
> thank you to those who contribute!
>
i agree the project does work well considering no one is paid!
>
> I don't understand the desire to have an online distributed realtime
> discussion. IRC seems like a good way for a few people to discuss a
> topic, or one person to pose a technical question to a few others, but a
> bad way to run a meeting of 20+ people. I think a much better solution
> would be a discussion that occurs over a few days, where people from all
> time zones can reply thoughtfully, at their leisure, and everyone can
> take a few minutes to think about the various suggestions. Whether it's
> a discussion on this email list or a wiki page doesn't matter to me.
> What matters is that everyone isn't talking at once, and everyone has
> time to consider what others are saying rather than engaging in a rapid
> fire game of Let's Do Something Even If It's Wrong.
>
> OK. That being said, I'm a big fan of LinuxCNC, and I can't argue with
> the results, but if this is the development process, then I think open
> source LinuxCNC has excelled despite the planning process rather than
> because of it.
>
Let me start by saying this was the first run of a very new process.
We are not sure it will fit our needs but are trying it - and it will be tweaked
as we go.
The problem seed to be:
There is a lack of communication and perceived openness of the core group.
There was no set time or place to make decisions which makes it seem they
were purposely made secretly.
This is made worse by the fact we are a global group separated by many time
zones.
At the Wichata hackfest this was clear communicated (since lots of people
showed up and face to face communication works better) and we tried to come up
with an alternative solution.
While maillist is effective it is very slow. - It was decided that would be a
better medium for discussion.
The meeting once a month is for consensus decisions.
There is to be little discussion just decisions.
Obviously there is always a bit of discussion but if it ends up to be too much
then the idea is it should be tabled for more 'maillist debate'
Now decisions and actions are two different things.
If a bunch of people show up and pass a vote to rewrite linuxcnc in pascal -
That's probably not going to happen unless they do it.
So decisions, really are about keeping everyone informed about what direction
we are going, or want to go.
Some decisions are easily 'actionable' - It was decided Seb will be our new
release manager and that is done.
Not sure what we will do if the agenda items get really long or get tabled a
bunch of times.
This is not a perfect system.
Yes the first one was hard to follow and sometimes moved forward and back with
little notice.
Yes there was lots of 'noise' from time to time.
I am sure this will improve - no one knew what to expect :)
I am happy lots of people showed up and actually said things - there is passion
in thus project.
I think it would help if on each topic we ask everyone to stop typing while the
motionee summarizes the motion. I think a '30 seconds' to discussion over heads
up would help.
I'm sure there are other ideas too.
But the idea is anyone can add an agenda proposal on the wiki.
then discussion should happen on the maillist or IRC channels.
Then once a month we can vote on the proposal.
hopefully winning proposals will become integrated.
If you have other ideas that may work or help please bring them forward.
all this is my opinion of the situation, I don't represent the 'core' group,
though I may be considered one of them.
Chris Morley
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