Re: Amendment to the Constitution: Add a new foundation document [Typographical fixes]
- To: debian-vote@lists.debian.org
- Subject: Re: Amendment to the Constitution: Add a new foundation document [Typographical fixes]
- From: Remi Vanicat <vanicat@debian.org>
- Date: Sat, 01 May 2004 17:44:11 +0200
- Message-id: <[🔎] 87ekq4b19w.dlv@vanicat.homelinux.org>
- In-reply-to: <87r7u5qgbq.fsf@glaurung.internal.golden-gryphon.com> (Manoj Srivastava's message of "Fri, 30 Apr 2004 16:57:45 -0500")
- References: <87r7u5qgbq.fsf@glaurung.internal.golden-gryphon.com>
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Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> writes:
> Hi,
>
> [This version contains typographical fixes, and a tightening
> up of the grammar, of the foundation document. I do not
> believe any substantive changes have been made.]
>
> In order to handle the changes introduced in the GR 2004_003,
> I propose we adopt a foundation document that tries to provide
> guidance and explanation for the transitions required whenever a
> change occurs in a foundation document like the social contract, and
> also provides specific remedies to the current dilemma that we find
> ourself in. This GR proposal is related to the GR currently in
> discussion for deferring of the changes made in GR 2004_003, and
> would be on the same ballot, and is an alternative to the GR
> currently in discussion.
>
> I hereby propose that we amend the constitution to add to the
> list of foundation documents the document attached in this proposal,
> titled "Transition Guide"
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> <OL style="list-style: decimal;">
> <LI>A Foundation Document is a document or statement regarded as
> critical to the Project's mission and purposes.</LI>
> <LI>The Foundation Documents are the works entitled <q>Debian
> - Social Contract</q> and <q>Debian Free Software Guidelines</q>.</LI>
> + Social Contract</q>, <q>Transition Guide</q> and
> + <q>Debian Free Software Guidelines</q>.</LI>
> <LI>A Foundation Document requires a 3:1 majority for its
> supersession. New Foundation Documents are issued and
> existing ones withdrawn by amending the list of Foundation
> Documents in this constitution.</LI>
> </OL>
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> Transition Guide
>
> A working guide to achieve the transition for changes in Foundation
> documents with specific remedies for the change in the social contract
> made by GR 2004_003 containing explanations and Rationale, and defining
> guidelines for future transitions
>
> In General Resolution 2004_003, the wording of the Social Contract was
> modified. The Social Contract represents the core commitments of the
> Project. The Social Contract leaves its marks in many ways, it's deeply
> intertwined with the all parts of the Project. Any change to the Social
> Contract has major ramifications, and may require a period of
> potentially deep changes to the roots of the Project before it can come
> into compliance with the changed Contract.
>
> Meeting our commitments as described in the Social Contact is an ongoing
> process. Since we have recently changed these commitments, we need an
> interval of time before we can approach compliance. Unless we shut down
> the Project completely - abandoning users and our developers - the
> regular activities of the Project must continue while we work towards
> compliance.
>
> There is precedent for a gap between ratifying a change to the
> foundation documents of the Project and implementing dictates of that
> document; when the Project first accepted the Social Contract and the
> Debian Free Software Guidelines, there was an interval before we came
> into compliance with those then-new documents. Indeed, there was the
> release of a minor version just days after the Debian Free Software
> Guidelines were accepted, and this release by no means complied with the
> new commitments.
>
> We also continued to support older non-complying releases, nor did we
> make them unavailable to our users.
>
> The binding principle here is that we have to balance the needs of our
> users and the need to make Debian strictly free. As Raul Miller stated:
>
>
> In my opinion, the needs of the free software community take
> precedence in the context of adopting new packages, in the setting
> of release goals, in our choices about infrastructure and
> philosophy, and of course in the context of any development work we
> do.
>
> In my opinion, the needs of our users take precedence in the context
> of security fixes, in the context of support for packages and
> systems we've released, and in the context of the quality of our
> work.
>
>
> With this document, we, the Debian Project, do so affirm this. We affirm
> that while we are working towards complying with a change in the goals
> or identity of the Project, or towards compliance with any change to a
> foundation document, the needs of our users will be catered to. This may
> mean that for a limited time, Debian will not be compliant with the new
> Social Contract.
>
> We affirm that whenever a change to the Social Contract takes place, the
> activities required to provide ongoing and proactive support for the
> Debian user community shall continue. This includes, but is not
> necessarily limited to, providing security updates for
> previously-released versions of Debian, providing point-release updates
> to previously-released versions of Debian, preparing for the next
> (compliant) release of Debian, actually releasing the current
> non-compliant version of Debian if such a release is imminent (as well
> as any further updates to that version of Debian), as well as providing
> all the Project's infrastructure such as bug-tracking and mailing lists.
>
> In the specific case of General Resolution 2004_003, since that release
> currently in preparation, code named "Sarge", is very close to release,
> and the previously released version is quite out of date, our commitment
> to our users dictates that the "Sarge" release should go on as planned -
> even while we are in the process of reaching compliance with the new
> Social Contract. This exemption for "Sarge" applies to security releases
> and point releases as well.
>
>
> I am actively looking for seconds for this proposal.
>
> manoj
>
> --
> The poetry of heroism appeals irresitably to those who don't go to a
> war, and even more so to those whom the war is making enormously
> wealthy." Celine
> Manoj Srivastava <srivasta@debian.org> <http://www.debian.org/%7Esrivasta/>
> 1024R/C7261095 print CB D9 F4 12 68 07 E4 05 CC 2D 27 12 1D F5 E8 6E
> 1024D/BF24424C print 4966 F272 D093 B493 410B 924B 21BA DABB BF24 424C
I second this Amendment
- --
Rémi Vanicat
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