Re: Democracy in Debian
On Tue, Feb 07, 2006 at 04:50:40AM -0600, Peter Samuelson wrote:
> [Kalle Kivimaa]
>>> Actually, it is a direct procedure. The developers may, by way of
>>> a GR, override any decision of the DPL, including an appointment.
> [Lionel Elie Mamane]
>> A vote run by the secretary obviously. Oh, how delicious.
> If you've got something to say, say it.
I did. I find it intellectually amusing that Debian would run a vote
of destitution of a person by this person herself.
> This _implication_ that the Secretary wouldn't properly run a vote
> concerning his own appointment is tiresome. If that's what you
> meant, please say it directly.
It is not what I meant, but now I feel queried about my opinion on
this issue, so I'll bite. I don't think Manoj Srivasta would do
that. I wouldn't put it beyond another future secretary, not knowing
who the future secretaries will be. I don't think that the DD body is
entirely made of righteous people.
Should the situation arise with the current constitution, the
secretary can use 7.1.4 to avoid impropriety or we can still formally
have the election run by the secretary, but cross-checked by other
people. Just have the address foo@vote.debian.org deliver to the
secretary and these other people (which can be ensured by DSA). These
people can run the same procedure as the secretary and publicly cry
foul if the secretary cheated in any way (other than breaking the
signature algorithms in OpenPGP). This _does_ require a not too
uncooperative secretary, or DSA moving to override him, I suppose.
Does this satisfy you?
> If not, what _did_ you mean?
I meant that I find it amusing that Debian would run a vote of
destitution of a person by this person herself.
> And who do you think ought to run that vote?
I don't have a silver bullet handy to solve this suboptimality in the
constitution. A few ideas from the top of my head include:
- The previous secretary
- A secretary-like position it is the only role of
- The board of SPI (because they appoint the secretary if there is no
agreement between the previous secretary and the DPL)
- The Chairman of the Technical Committee (because he is the acting
secretary if there is none)
--
Lionel
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