Re: Boost Asset Stewardship Review begins 09/03 (Updated)

From: Robert Ramey (ramey_at_[hidden])
Date: 2024-09-17 22:10:51

On 9/17/24 2:18 PM, Andrey Semashev via Boost wrote:
 > On 9/17/24 23:29, Robert Ramey via Boost wrote:
 >>
 >> Proposed changes to Boost Library Foundation bylaws. refer to:
 >> https://drive.google.com/file/d/1xgtEovxMZThszuaQIMpDpaRdBuH1_BkZ/view
 >>
 >> Section 1. Powers and Duties. [...] The Board shall have the power 
to control and manage policies
 >> for acceptance of new Boost Software and the usage and maintenance 
thereof.
 >
 > I would be strongly opposed to this. The Boost Foundation (or The C++
 > Alliance) never had and never should have the power to affect acceptance
 > of new Boost Software, nor its maintenance. Library acceptance can only
 > happen through the review process.
Board shall have the power to control and manage policies for acceptance 
of new Boost Software.

Hmmm - This is not at all the same as having the board decide what 
software to accept.  I wasn't suggesting that the 
Board/Foundation/whatever have such a power.

The question arises as to what are the procedures for the acceptance of 
Boost Software. Currently, this is addressed by the formal review of 
library submissions.  But what happens if we need to alter this.  For 
example, I'm of the view that Boost Tools should be subject to formal 
review.  The implementation of this policy would have to be in the hands 
of the board of directors - who else could it be?

And of course issues related to testing/deployment etc would be handled 
similarly.

 >> As can be seen, the intention here is to place the ultimate authority
 >> over boost in the hands of Boost Community Members who have actually
 >> invested personal efforts into the growth and success of boost.  Once
 >> these changes to bylaws are implemented and a new Board of Directors 
 >> is elected other issues can be addressed.
 >
 > Boost Community has no power over The Boost Foundation, Right> so the 
 > only way this can be implemented is if The Boost Foundation agrees to 
 > these changes and effectively disbands itself.Right - resigns and
 > stands for (re)election.

Among other things, I'm proposing that the board of directors be elected 
by the boost community.  So the new board would be much more attuned to 
the procedures used by boost to achieve it's goals as specified by its 
mission statement.

If these changes in the bylaws are implemented I would expect the 
current board to resign and/or stand for election.  They've already 
indicated that they're interests do not lie with the Boost Community by 
asking that the C++ Alliance take over the administration of a number of 
Boost Assets and using their time to promote the Beman Project.  So I 
would think that members of the current board would be happy to do this.

FWIW - we often get repeated complaints that the Board of Directors 
don't represent the interests of Boost Developers.  At least this would 
fix this.

 > I doubt this is going to happen.
We'll see.

Robert Ramey>
 >
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