On Thu, Jan 22, 2009 at 8:43 PM, Greg Dekoenigsberg <gdk@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > > On Thu, 22 Jan 2009, Mike McGrath wrote: > >> How can 13,000+ active community members all lead a single project? Why >> have a board at all[1]? I think the community leading was great back when >> there weren't that many of us but now I really do think it's hurting people. >> I'm happy to continue to aid in leading the infrastructure team but where >> are we going and for what ultimate purpose. > > I just look at this thread in a sort of stunned awe. > > It wasn't that long ago before we were scrambling to have any community > invovlement at all. > > Now we're trying to figure out how to articulate a coherent vision on behalf > of 13,000 people -- a number that continues to grow, by the way, despite the > occasional doubts that we feel about whether we are on the right track. Where did all these people come from? Perhaps one met Francesco on a train and heard about his love of Fedora and looked us up? Perhaps one met Máirín and sized her up as one exception human being and was moved by her passion for Fedora to look closer at the community because there must be something really valuable there to inspire her so much? Perhaps one is inspired by Rodrigo's zero carbon initiative to get involved? All 13,000 don't lead. Most will find a Geronimo. For some that might be Francesco, Máirín, Rodrigo, or any of countless others. What bonds us together? It isn't a mission statement. It is common core values, community, interesting work. To be honest, I'm not sure that articulating a coherent vision is even possible since the twists and turns the project takes are directed by the community, not the community as a whole but by some member of the community and those that member inspires. We might in the end have to accept that we don't know what our ultimate purpose is or how we are going to get there. But we can share a culture we are comfortable with, do interesting work, and try to make the world a better place in some small or large way while we are here. John _______________________________________________ fedora-advisory-board mailing list fedora-advisory-board@xxxxxxxxxx http://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-advisory-board
