Misleading statement in debian-faq s1.5, was: Ideas about a GR to fix the DAM
Package: doc-debian
Severity: wishlist
Anthony Towns <aj@azure.humbug.org.au> wrote: [...]
> But if you want a favour from someone -- like access to some restricted
> service -- you're much more likely to get it if either (a) that someone
> wants to do you the favour already; or (b) you approach it as "Hi, I'd like
> to help. There's a bunch of gruntwork that I think would help and that I
> could do if you'd like me to. I'm not trying to change policy or get any
> more say in how things work or become famous or whatever, just help out"
> and actually mean it. [...]
<q class="ramble">This is something where the project isn't managing
expectations very well. In some official docs, such as the Debian FAQ
http://www.debian.org/doc/manuals/debian-faq/ch-basic_defs.en.html
debian is described as "the only major Linux distribution that is
being developed cooperatively" which really isn't true, because we
don't share basic cooperative values, such as open and voluntary
membership, member economic participation, much democratic member
control or much concern for community. (For a full list, see
http://www.ica.coop/coop/principles.html
- I'd welcome moves to adopt more of them, but I'd expect resistance.)
A more accurate description may be that found in places such as
http://www.debian.org/intro/about#what
which calls it "an association of individuals who have made common
cause to create a free operating system."
In short, the debian project is still mostly a grace-and-favour
association where people need to behave as you describe to get things
done quickly. It's not a cooperative project, but we're not exactly
clear about that in our descriptions, so DDs really shouldn't be too
surprised when people expect project systems to be open and allow
autonomous direct action more readily.</q>
Cc'ing BTS for the debian-faq [please trim submit from followups].
Please resend to anyone else calling the debian project a cooperative.
Regards,
--
MJ Ray http://mjr.towers.org.uk/email.html tel:+44-844-4437-237 -
Webmaster-developer, statistician, sysadmin, online shop builder,
consumer and workers co-operative member http://www.ttllp.co.uk/ -
Writing on koha, debian, sat TV, Kewstoke http://mjr.towers.org.uk/
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