[Phpgroupware-developers] We cant continue to work like we do at the moment

[Ralf Becker]

Hi all,

I'm very unhappy about writeing again to this list with a topic, which 
might be seen by some as the next fight. I would not do so, if I dont 
think it's important and as my subject says:

*We cant continue to work like we do atm*

For those who are not constantly monitoring the IRC channel here a short 
recall whats happened. It's of cause my view of the situation and I'm 
sure others will jump in quickly adding their view ;-)

1) I imported the jsCalendar into phpGroupWare, after hearing many 
feature requests about a calendar popup
2) ceb removed it the yesterday morning with the comment "what crap"
3) I talked to ceb about it on IRC (see the following log)
4) ceb took away my commit-rights for the API, without further 
consultation of other developers
5) I talked with ceb and skwashd on IRC

Here's the IRC log from yesterday 
http://www.free-source.com/phpgw/irclogs/show_log.php?date=20030823

I'm *very* unhappy about the situation at the moment. After long 
discussions in spring this year, we have commited ourselft to a 
restructoring, from which I hoped the project would be lead more openly 
and democratic. The events of the last weeks let me doubt this again.

We have at the moment two acting leaders of the project (ceb + skwashd) 
which act, in my opion with very little, sometimes none consultation of 
the other developers or even each other. I just want to give two examples:

1) Takeing away my commit-right
As you can see from the IRC logs, ceb not even consulted skwashd before 
she took away my commit-rights. Takeing away the commit-rights of a 
developer is an extrem harsh measure, which in no project, which calls 
itself democratic, can be taken without a big consens of the other 
developers, just by one (not even elected) leader.

2) The buying for the new server-box
This was decided by skwashd alone, at this time not without consulting 
of  any other developer, but against the opionion of the other developer 
in the channel (me). Buying something for the project is in my opion 
again something, which need a consens of the majority developers and 
cant by taken by one leader alone.

I will not deny that this make me personaly unhappy and angry, and this 
is one of the reasons I write this mail. On the other hand the way these 
decission have been taken, is in my opionin not aceptable for a 
democratic project and for me personaly not acceptible for a project I 
enjoy spending a lot of time in.

You might wonder why I only argu against the way the decisions have been 
taken and not that they have been taken. I think everyone knows or can 
imagine my position / personal view in both issues and I dont think I 
have to justify myself. And its up to everyone to agree or disagree with 
the decission. But *I'm quite sure I'm not the only one who wanted to be 
asked before such dessions are taken*.

My *personal* view about the jsCalendar issue and others in the last 
time: I think good relations to the GNU project and the GPL are 
necessary and important. More important for me is the development / 
progress of the project and the fun and comunity with the other 
developers. I think both are not oppositional in general, as the first 
has some importance for the development of the project too. I think our 
momentary (self-apointed AND from us accepted) leaders are overdoing 
this a lot. Other project like eg. DCL (Double Chocolate) are useing 
jsCalendar, while maintaining the same GNU status as we (GNU project, 
part of dotGNU and GNU enterprise).

We dont have to remove everything imediatly (and therefor break our 
software) if the slightest doubt araises it might not be compatible with 
our desired license. I was in favor of moving our API to GPL, but I now 
start haveing doubts: it seems to mean, we have to edit every single 
little tool-class (to relicense it from LGPL to GPL), we want to use in 
our project. We loose the abbility and benefit that we can update them 
easily, when a new version comes up. And we are acting against the will 
of the author of this class (I'm not talking about our own 
contributions). And there are many interesting classe out there and many 
have already been named in several discussions on the mailing list.

To come back to my subject and finish this lengthy mail ;-)

*We cant continue to work like we do atm*

If we are unhappy about the way our project is moveing at the moment we 
need to change it. I'm sure this realy a *we* and not just me. If we 
cant change our project for whatever reason, it becomes less and less 
our project. I'm sure everone know how important it is, specialy for an 
Open Source project, that all contributors feel it's *their* project. If 
it is no longer - they move on, like it happend many time in the past :-(.

In hope to start a fruitful discussion

Ralf

PS.: I like to discuss this with every contributor of the project. I 
send it on purpose to the developers-list only and hope we can keep it 
this way for now.
--
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Ralf Becker
OUTDOOR UNLIMITED Training GmbH                Telefon 0631 / 31657-0
Leibnizstraße 17                               Telefax 0631 / 31657-26
D-67663 Kaiserslautern            EMail address@hidden