Re: [boost] A bike shed (any colour will do) on greener grass...

Subject: Re: [boost] A bike shed (any colour will do) on greener grass...
From: Michael Caisse (mcaisse-lists_at_[hidden])
Date: 2013-10-31 03:14:27

On 10/30/2013 07:28 PM, Ahmed Charles wrote:
> 
> I know you mean well, but I believe the problem is that anyone who has the political capital required to change the process isn't invested in changing it and everyone who is invested in changing it doesn't have the required political capital to change the process.
> 

Ahmed, I appreciate your comments and the time your took to articulate
them. Considering the care you have demonstrated in your initial post as
well as your responses, I suspect your thoughts have added "value" already.

In May 2011, a group was formed called the Steering Committee. While I
was not involved in the detailed discussions that led to the formation,
I do recall the ML activity and BoostCon sessions preceding the
announcement. Consensus was the rule prior to the formation of the
Steering Committee. I have tremendous respect for those who brought
about Boost and their humility shown within the operation of the
organization. Their realization that consensus had become unattainable
and the organization was stagnating drove the formation of a group of
peers to help guide Boost. While it might seem as if Boost is aimlessly
wandering or lacks direction save the incidental movement caused by the
summation of each author's will, there is a group that can intervene and
provide uniform purpose.

Unlike other organizations, Boost fully respects the will of an author
in maintaining their library. I would be dishonest if I didn't
acknowledge that this policy has resulted in some personal head
scratching with a few libraries over the years. In the end though, I
believe that library authors best understand the constraints and intent
of their libraries and how to maintain them.

Sometimes we must persuade an author of a good idea or to increase their
vision of their library. We want authors that are involved and
passionate. I am personally uncertain about the democratization that
occurs via libraries in Git. The ease of forking a repository has the
potential of diluting the ecosystem, creating superior libraries through
collaboration, or resulting in a form of natural selection. It will
largely depend on the library's maintainer.

Each year a couple of people cycle out of the Steering Committee and a
couple cycle in. Sebastian Redl and I cycled in this past May. Your
comments as well as those of others in this thread have me thinking. I
can appreciate the overall frustration that many have shown in the past
couple months on the ML. Boost is a slow moving organism. Please know
that there are those involved who are keenly concerned about the
"political side" and how best to create a healthy, active, and viable
organization. I would hate to see new and energetic partners become
disenfranchised.

Best regards -
michael

-- 
Michael Caisse
ciere consulting
ciere.com