Topic: Time for an election / The status of SME Server Inc.

[jdavey]

Quote from: snoble on Yesterday at 02:53:52 PM
Richard, thanks for you interest in SME
Did you nominate for a specific position, if not I nominate you for Communications Manager.

I second that nomination, Richard clearly has a track record of both development & promotion that SME Server could benefit from

I'll third that! I would really like to consider Richard for Business Manager, if he's open to it. I know that he would get SME Server in front of many eyes, and move it towards being known as a distinct brand.

Note that I have the utmost respect and gratitude for the developers and the incumbents, but SME needs to take the next step in terms of evolving. Ever forward.

[guest22]

As I stated before, I personally am open minded, BUT not ignorant of history....

One that bugged me all along is the Dick/Richard thing. Heck, my name isn't easy, but is less confusing...

I would suggest to the initiators of the selection procedure to publish the clear procedure (again) to take advantage of the momentum and getting things done. Or was there already a wiki page(s)?

guest

[stephen noble]

as Paul said http://forums.contribs.org/index.php?topic=39713.msg183675#msg183675

there isn't much that can be done until people nominate,
the link to the constitution is now clear, so people can see what is required.

The few of us developing SME will continue to do so regardless of any election process.
If anyone wants to help in any capacity nothing is stopping them from doing so now.

I think you have made you position clear RequestedDeletion, so our votes will cancel out
The circumstances now are entirely different

I can't see why someone from the Netherlands should be called Dutch, that's history for you

[electroman00]

0

[stephen noble]

just fyi, it's stephen not shad

the constitution was hard to find, it's shouldn't be now, both new threads point to it

we all want to SME improve, if I was unclear that may demonstrate why I'm not standing for a leadership role

An example is Normando stepping up and beginning the translations project. Thanks to him we now have a shiny new system and seven new languages underway.

[gregswallow]

I am willing to run as Business manager.

Thanks for volunteering Garret.  I really appreciate you keeping things going on the business/money side of things as well while we are in limbo here.  I apologize for being silent the past while.  I was hoping  (and still hoping) for a few more people to step forward and run for one of the leadership roles.

The few of us developing SME will continue to do so regardless of any election process.
If anyone wants to help in any capacity nothing is stopping them from doing so now.

True, it is proven that works for development. But I think we do need a leader (or leaders) with a vision of: (like I said already)

- how to make SME Server a more popular distribution
- how to encourage and reward the developers
- how to collect donations and/or fees from a larger percentage of the community of people that use SME Server

Honestly, I still think it will be near impossible for a group of 3 to agree on the details of such a vision, and the logistics of making decisions between 3 people in different time zones is tedious, which was why I suggested at first that the Business Manager role have the final decision on making all the above ideas happen.  Garret, I think you have a vision to make all that happen, am I right?  And I know there are people that want to help, but just not in a structured role - myself included in that category, and Shad, Stephen, etc, etc. If it takes voting as a community to change the constitution to amend the leadership structure then I think we should consider that. 

Greg

[cactus]

If it takes voting as a community to change the constitution to amend the leadership structure then I think we should consider that.

I do agree on that, but I would like to know for what I will be voting than, until know I am not aware of any plans (laid out in draft).

[gregswallow]

I do agree on that, but I would like to know for what I will be voting than, until know I am not aware of any plans (laid out in draft).

I think my suggested changes to the constitution could be summarized as:
- combining the Communications Manager and Business Manager roles into one
- having the Development Manager role a meritocratic one, not involved in business/money decisions at all.  Perhaps not even designating one person as a Development Manager is needed - the team effort of developing seems to be doing fine.

Just want to stress that this is just my opinion, but I think it warrants discussion as the plan of voting in 3 new leaders is not going as hoped.

[stephen noble]

Excellent idea

here is the process to change the Constitution
http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server:Constitution#Amendment_Procedure

lets draft the changes to vote on here
http://wiki.contribs.org/SME_Server:Constitution_2008

you can see the changes by looking at changes in history between first and last

can we make it a minimal change, eg
we vote for a President,
who can form a "Leadership committee" as per existing if they choose (and volunteers step up)

[gregswallow]

Excellent idea

Thanks for your support, but before we get ahead of ourselves, remember it relies on someone wanting the combined role.  Garret didn't say he was yet...  And maybe there are others that would be interested in that type of position?  Lets get discussion going about it at least.

[stephen noble]

sure, but cactus wanted to see a draft of what the proposed change was, a fair point