On Fri, Mar 26, 2021 at 9:03 PM Nathan Sidwell <nat...@acm.org> wrote: > > [double sigh, attaching a pdf causes it to be blocked, and I guess the number > of > URLs is also triggering a spam trap for the follow up. I have removed many of > the URLS from this, you'll have to use your google-fu for sources. I emailed > several members of the SC, and don't want to bomb them with yet a third copy. > ] > > Dear members of the GCC Steering Committee (SC), I ask you to remove Richard > Stallman (RMS) from the SC, or, should you chose not to do so, make a clear > statement as to why he remains.
As far as I know the GCC Steering Committee (SC) acts as the "GNU maintainer" of GCC with respect to how the GNU project is set up. That likely makes it a representative of the "GCC project" even though the SC rarely presents itself as such. I've never been asked to endorse or vote members of the SC, instead it seems to have "self-appointed" itself in the beginning and when moving back under the GNU umbrella likely the FSF "appointed" the original set of members as the GNU maintainer. I know some members voluntarily leaved but I have no idea about the process of new members entering the SC - apart from suggesting the SC is self-appointed (but GNU processes likely require the GNU project leaders consent). So this whole story points at a dysfunctional set up of the representation of the GCC project. I suppose GNU (sub-)projects are not supposed to represent themselves. I would not consider voting RMS onto the SC at this point, in fact I'd not re-elect him. I would even ask him to resign from this position. But being inclusive also means being inclusive to people with different opinions, so I welcome technical contribution to GCC by RMS. If RMS acts contrary to (unwritten) code of conducts inside the GCC community then appropriate sanctions should apply. I do think that the request at hand puts specific pressure on the SC members that is unwarranted - you ask for them to respond but they are likely powerless as to the actual request. In fact were I on the SC I would suggest to all of my fellow SC members to resign and re-organize how GCC wants to be represented. That would effectively break the communication channel between GCC and the GNU Project [the FSF] but at this point it might be the important signal to send. Richard.
