[maemo-community] Discussion about Maemo community management...

[From: Dave Neary]

Hi Jamie,

Jamie Bennett wrote:
> If Nokia aren't disclosing important information based on NDA's to the
> council then that is something to take up with them, but as a council
> member I would of thought you would be privy to information that we as
> 'normal' community members wouldn't and I don't begrudge you to that.
> Fight to attain the information you need to guide the community.

Just to clarify the NDA-related stuff.

Let's say someone takes the role of "maemo.org advocate withing Maemo
SW" - advocating a closer relationship between development teams and
"the community" (which means, in the case of Nokia, us, the press and
the general public).

One of their jobs will be to argue for the opening of currently
proprietary components of the platform, or the revealing of currently
private product plans. This is something which Quim does now.

Well, to argue point-by-point for opening components, you need to know
all of the issues with that. And to argue publishing product plans, you
need to be privvy to them (and have access to decision makers in the
product cycle). And that means either being a Nokia employee, or being
under NDA.

> The council should be a filter to the wider community, if it isn't
> working like that then maybe Nokia need a little help with it, they are
> new to 'wholly' open sourcing idea so who would blame them.

How would you feel about Nokia offering to have community council
members sign an NDA on election? How would Nokia feel about it? Current
council members?

Personally, I'd be against it. Having community council members under
NDA, as opposed to the current informal "use your discretion in general,
and sometimes we'll specifically ask you to keep things quiet for a
couple of weeks", would be a bad idea - greater justification for
discussing important community issues out of the public eye, and to my
mind against the principle of a council representative of the community.

Cheers,
Dave.

-- 
maemo.org docsmaster
Email: dneary at maemo.org
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