[maemo-community] maemo.org infra safety - HiFo action URGENTLY needed.

[From: Craig Woodward]

> On March 8, 2014 at 11:20 AM joerg Reisenweber <joerg at openmoko.org> wrote:
>
> > HiFo gave Council the ability to approve maintainers in part because
> > Council was more responsive. This was done ...
>
> Prove this!
>
>
> > It alone has the legal right and responsibility to maintain them.
>
> Legal like what? Where's your document showing you have *any* saying in maemo
> infra?

I was planning to not reply to this chain again, but this is a rather important
item.

You claim HiFo does not own the severs, but that you have some right to them?
The fact that you are challenging this is frankly enough in my eyes to merit
your removal as sysadmin.

YOU YOURSELF in the past have acknowledged that the sever transfer was from
Nokia/Nemiem to HiFo.  And that your position was granted to you by HiFo.  Yet
now you ask for proof, claiming we're making it all up.  Trying to change the
story to fit your narrative.  I offer to you as proof your own e-mail on the
subject.  This time as links to this very mailing list, so that anyone can
verify it's not part of me "making up fairy stories".

Here, you acknowledge that your position as system admin was granted you by
HiFo, you saying:
>Board decided they need a chief admin, and appointed me for that position

http://lists.maemo.org/pipermail/maemo-community/2012-December/005821.html


Here, you react negatively when you are reminded that while you were given a
sysadmin role, you would not be the person in charge of TMO or management of all
parts of the systems, but rather as a general manager of those who would
administer it.  The Board decided (rightly, IMHO) to split that duty
specifically to prevent a "one man show" in system administration.  You make a
comment reminiscent of the current ones, quoting the e-mail as part of your
reply:

http://lists.maemo.org/pipermail/maemo-community/2012-December/005822.html


Here, you note that the servers are being transferred to HiFo's ownership from
Nemien, you saying:
>Since you (board) are inheriting those new servers today or tomorrow anyway, it
>is ...

http://lists.maemo.org/pipermail/maemo-community/2012-December/005823.html


And a month before all this, a posting from then Board director Ivan (ivgalvez)
indicating that HiFo was in the process and in negotiation with Nokia and Nemien
to handle hand-over of servers and other items to HiFo, to hold on behalf of the
community.

http://maemo.org/community/board/nokia_to_provide_support_in_migration_of_maemo-org_services/


FWIW:  Reggie also handed off the rights to TMO to HiFo as well, as it was the
only legal entity to hand them off to.  It was done with the understanding that
HiFo would observe the required laws on user information confidentiality, and
maintain the forum for the community, which to date it has done and will
continue to do.  Those obligations will be passed to the .e.V., should it form. 
And before you scream "community property", there are legal obligations there
that a "community" can not legally hold, at minimal on laws relating to transfer
and handling of confidential user information.

The servers were in fact transferred to HiFo from Nokia, with the express
understanding that they were CONTINGENT on a resolution of negotiations on the
legal transfer of all rights needed by HiFo to operate Maemo going forward. 
This was why I had concerns about that process not finishing, since Nokia could
in fact pull them back if negotiations do not finish (despite your claims
counter to such).  Right now, Nokia legally still owns these servers, and has
allowed HiFo to house/access/administer them while negotiations are ongoing. 
HiFo asked for volunteers to form a technical team to administer those servers,
and after vetting, instructed Nemien (via Nokia) to grant them access to these
machines.  So yes, legally, Nokia COULD pull them back, and HiFo CAN change who
is a current administrator.

The fact that HiFo delegated some of that power to Council, or anyone else, does
not give you (or anyone) the right to walk off with the servers.  If a community
center were to give you the keys to open/close a building for your club, would
that give you the right to take things from the building, or use it for your own
personal affairs outside the club activity?  No.  Why you assume this to be the
case for Maemo servers is beyond me, and frankly is a dangerous way of thinking.

Anyway, I hope this clarifies your need for proof, and the proof required by the
community.  I also hope this put this nonsensical "issue" of who owns the
servers to bed once and for all.

-Woody