also sprach Gunnar Wolf <gwolf@gwolf.org> [2015-11-12 06:38 +1300]:
> This was one of the reasons where the first ~10 DebConfs were not
> run by Debian (but by Debian people). IIRC, it was at a session at
> DebConf 10 where we decided (of course, having discussed and all
> that) that DebConf would become an official Debian project, and
> that it needed a delegation.
Yes, I remember. And I think we can all conclude now that DebConf is
regarded an official Debian project, but that does not mean that it
really needs a separate delegation. There are plenty of core
subprojects in Debian without delegations.¹
¹) https://www.debian.org/intro/organization
It seemed like the right thing at the time, but we haven't made it
work, have we?
There's a suggestion for a new delegation, which is longer and even
more complex (notice the trend from Zack via Lucas to now).
There's a suggestion to go back to Zack's delegation, but that won't
solve the problems we're actually having.
I'll be sending another e-mail shortly to continue this line of
thinking.
> IIRC, at some points in the past Debian *did* lend money to
> DebConf.
Debian lent money to DC15 even, which we'll be paying back when we
close accounts.
> But in the end, yes, having this official backing does need some
> responsabilities.
No, it needs credibility and accountability, just like a bank loan
needs a credit rating. Selecting a bid team is also a statement
about how much the team can be trusted to handle money that doesn't
belong to them.
We're not dealing with the amounts of money that would have a bank
install a member in the advisory board of the loaner, especially not
with veto powers.
> Of course, that is the reasons why the Chairs had to approve any
> non-minor budget changes, and that's the reason the initial budget
> is sent to the DPL for initial approval.
Regarding the money that Debian lends to DebConf, yes, we could have
earmarking and approval by the DPL, and arguably if there's more
needed from Debian, then the DPL needs to get involved anyway.
But most of the money we use for DebConf is money DebConf raises for
DebConf, not for Debian. For these funds, we are primarily
accountable towards our sponsors, not Debian.
It goes without saying that our sponsors only give us money because
DebConf is *the* Debian conference, but our only responsibility
towards the Debian Project remains ensuring that we don't promise
things we can't deliver or otherwise acting "unfaithful" towards
Debian or tarnishing the brand.
How to achieve this and put on a successful conference at the same
time depends entirely on the group of people doing the work. Their
alignment with Debian's values is a process, not something that can
be policed through a delegation.
--
.''`. martin f. krafft <madduck@debconf.org> @martinkrafft
: :' : DebConf orga team
`. `'`
`- DebConf16: Cape Town: https://wiki.debconf.org/wiki/DebConf16
DebConf17 in your country? https://wiki.debconf.org/wiki/DebConf17
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