[news.eclipse.board.committer.reps] Re: The First 100 Days

[Chris Aniszczyk <zx@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I apologize for the slow response, I'm usually really on top of these 
things but you literally posted this right before I was boarding a plane 
for Eclipse Forum Europe and I've been jetlagged for awhile thinking 
about this issue. I gave it some long thought and here's my response. 
(No excuses next time though, I deserve 20 lashes ;p)

> 1. What is the single most important issue that they would like to push 
> for and bring up for debate in their first 100 days of their term (ie. 
> in the first face-to-face board meeting)?  Why do you feel it's so 
> important?

Personally, I have my own issues, but as a committer representative, 
it's my job to represent the committer's interests. The single most 
important issue for me is to make sure we have open channels for 
committers (like this newsgroup) available for committers to post about 
their needs and me as a committer rep to act on these issues. I think 
this is something committer reps haven't done in the past and has hurt 
the image of what exactly is a committer rep and why it should be an 
important position.  I mean, if I have only my issues to push, I'm not 
really a committer rep, I'm just some guy on the board with my own agenda.

If I could help make the committer representative a truly important and 
USEFUL (ie., things get accomplished) position that people would want to 
run for, than I have accomplished my goal of giving committers a voice. 
Because, when it comes down to it in the end, committers are the driving 
force (including the heart) of Eclipse, and that's why this issue is so 
important to me.

> 2. If issue stated in question #1 was still unresolved at the end of the 
> year, would you consider that to be a failed term?  More generally, how 
> do we (and you) quantitate success of a term?

As per #1, I think its easy to quantitate success. I'm a social 
creature, If I see more than 5 nominees next time for committer reps 
(preferably at least double), I think I as committer rep will have 
succeeded.

If committers don't see a benefit to give a voice to issues via the 
committer reps, than I have personally failed as a committer 
representative (and an outgoing Eclipse community member :P)

> 3. Now that you have had some orientation by the Eclipse Foundation as 
> to what role you are able to play, are there items that you listed on 
> your nomination vision statement that you think is out of the scope of 
> your responsibilities?  Another way to ask the question would be:  is 
> the position so far what you thought it was going to be or were you in 
> for a surprise?

It's pretty much what I have thought it would be so far. My vision 
statement 
(http://www.eclipse.org/org/elections/candidate.php?year=2007&id=aniszczyk) 
 contains accurate issues most important to me, upholding and building 
a culture of quality in Eclipse. Some of my other interests may be hard 
to implement as a committer representative because they represent a 
scope that is outside of a committer reps role (ie., building bridges 
with other projects, creating a eclipse world tour is complicated by 
budget and other issues).

> 4. Being a committer rep on the Board of Directors is a coveted 
> position.  You get to add 'Director of Eclipse Foundation' to your 
> LinkedIn profile, you get to add it to your EclipseCon biography and you 
> get a chance to start every conversation by saying "Now that I am on the 
> board of directors..." and annoy the heck out of your co-workers.  So in 
> short, it must be a lot of fun :).
> Yet for some reason, it's clear that not too many committers care about 
> that.  The vote turnout is low and the nomination field was not very 
> crowded.  Why do you think that is and do you plan to do anything about it?

*chuckle*, very funny Wassim :)

However, the issue of committers not caring is paramount to me, as 
stated in my response to #1

How do I plan to solve these issues? Communication and Communication. 
Committers need to be aware that first committer representatives exist 
(heck, for the longest time I didn't even know there were reps let alone 
who they were or what they did), they are willing to listen/help and 
they have the desire to act based on committer issues.

Thanks for reading.