Dear all, I have relished the intellectual company of the SPDX community. There has been no other open source community that I have felt more welcomed in, nor one that shows so much potential for the entire computer software industry. Regrettably, though, I have observed a growing number of issues regarding the direction of the project and the missed opportunities to improve the accountability of the leadership. As a result, I'm writing to explain my decision to resign from my role on the Steering Committee as SPDX Outreach Team Lead and to withdraw for the time being from my involvement in the Legal Team, Tech Team and the related Serialisation Focus Group and Canonicalisation Committee.
A number of people have been appointed to positions of responsibility within SPDX, including most recently a Marketing Manager. This has been done without the consultation, approval or notification of myself, my fellow Outreach Team Leads or even the Steering Committee. Additional support in SPDX's Outreach Team activities is always appreciated, and having had the pleasure of meeting the new Marketing Manager earlier in the week, I have been left with no doubt as to their ability to make a positive difference to the project. However, the lack of communication preceding this recruitment leaves the Steering Committee unable to strategically coordinate SPDX's growth, simply because it is unaware of what's going on! Many of you will be aware that one of the long-term projects that I have been engaged with is to rebuild the SPDX website, designing it with the members of the Outreach Team in order to allow the entire SPDX community to collaborate directly on editing and improving the site. However, I have been made aware that there is now a separate effort to start substantial development on SPDX's web presence. It does not make sense for me to continue with the SPDX website simply to duplicate the effort. Although I have offered to join forces and work together on the website, this offer has been declined. As a volunteer, the openness and transparency of SPDX has been a great motivating factor for me. I would like to see the SPDX Steering Committee be proactive, rather than merely reactive, and to actively form a coherent strategy for the future. Fragmented discussions, inadequate records of consensus decisions and their rationale and inconsistent adherence to process all inhibit this goal. SPDX is privileged to have the participation of dozens of experts and consequently I feel privileged to have been a part of such a special community. I hope that this email helps to elucidate my reasons for leaving, and that the relevant parties may reflect on the points above to ensure SPDX stays a welcoming, relevant and consensus-driven community. Best wishes, Sebastian Crane -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- Links: You receive all messages sent to this group. View/Reply Online (#1680): https://lists.spdx.org/g/spdx/message/1680 Mute This Topic: https://lists.spdx.org/mt/98546100/21656 Group Owner: spdx+ow...@lists.spdx.org Unsubscribe: https://lists.spdx.org/g/spdx/leave/2655439/21656/1698928721/xyzzy [arch...@mail-archive.com] -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
