Re: Amendment to GR on GFDL, and the changes to the Social Contract

[Mike Bird <mgb-debian@yosemite.net>]

On Sat, 2006-02-11 at 05:47, Manoj Srivastava wrote:
> On 10 Feb 2006, Anthony Towns verbalised:
> > It might be better at setting people's expectations: where they
> > might expect the secretary to be "unbiassed", or at least to pretend
> > to be, presumably they wouldn't expect that of people proposing GRs.
> 
>         So people would prefer a rubber stamp mindlessly going along
>  with whatever is put before them? Umm, then change the constitution,
>  and take away this power of the secretary to adjudicate ballots and
>  matter of procedure. I am sure one can write up a front end to set up
>  and start off devotee, based on mailed signatures.
> 
>         If that happens, of course, it would end my tenure as
>  secretary, since I could not, in good conscience, go along being just
>  a rubber stamp.

A GR to replace the secretary with a computer program is
permissible but perhaps unlikely to pass.  Unless and until
such a program passes the secretary should exercise his or
her judgment as he or she sees fit.

A hypothetical future bad secretary can always be replaced.
Unlike some parts of the real world, the same cabal doesn't
control Debian's election machinary and the relevant media
and the supreme court and the military.  A hypothetical future
bad secretary could probably be removed by pressure of public
opinion without having to resort to legal action or warfare.

Thank you for all that you do Manoj Srivastava.

--Mike Bird