Dear all,<br><br>There is a mistake in the summary, the letter is written by Tim Samoff,
but the actual chairman of the foundation is Randall Arnold.<br><br>Regards<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">2012/11/8 Community Council: Ivan Galvez Junquera <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:council@maemo.org" target="_blank">council@maemo.org</a>></span><br>
<blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">By Tim Samoff, chairman of the Hildon Foundation Board.<br>
<br>
Dear Maemo Community,<br>
<br>
As long-time supporters and contributors -- and, in all humility, quite<br>
honored to be counted among all of you -- we, the inaugural Hildon<br>
Foundation Board felt it necessary that we put forth an open, public<br>
statement about how we feel the "Board" should be considered and engaged<br>
with.<br>
<br>
At this point, the first Board meeting minutes have been published for<br>
public review. As we hope you'll see, it is nothing but the Maemo<br>
Community's best interests that we are concerned with. In fact, the<br>
entire reason for the Hildon Foundation to exist is so that the<br>
community may continue with as few interruptions as possible. So, as<br>
you read on, please keep this in mind.<br>
<br>
A little history first...<br>
<br>
Sometime in 2007 this community reached a tipping point. There were many<br>
active users, new devices, new code, and a lot of questions pertaining<br>
to the future of the [<a href="http://maemo.org" target="_blank">maemo.org</a>][1] website and the community's relationship<br>
with Nokia. Because of this, the idea to create a "community council" as<br>
a way of fielding community issues and communicating them with Nokia was<br>
proposed. Those of you who have been a part of this community for a<br>
while will remember that the idea was widely agreed upon and the Maemo<br>
Community Council was born.<br>
<br>
This new entity, while totally unpaid and volunteer, ended up being an<br>
amazingly efficient conduit between community matters and those at Nokia<br>
who considered Maemo their charge. Both the community and Nokia<br>
flourished because of this relational reorganization.<br>
<br>
Fast-forward to the present...<br>
<br>
Nokia is leaving the scene (figuratively, of course, as we hope that the<br>
community still sees some Nokia faces here and there); the community is<br>
in a bit of an identity crisis; the Council and Foundation Board<br>
elections are rife with issues... The list could go on. But, regardless<br>
of these problems, we now have a new phase of community life to forge.<br>
<br>
Because of this, it is necessary to reevaluate how the community<br>
operates and who is responsible for its continued operations.<br>
<br>
Today's Maemo Community Council...<br>
<br>
Thankfully, the new Maemo Community Council is made up of very dedicated<br>
and trustworthy folks. And, as it has been since the Council's<br>
<br>
inception, these are the people who will directly fend for the daily<br>
life of our community. It is with gratitude that our community should<br>
receive this new Council. Treat them respectfully and always give them<br>
the benefit of the doubt. They are our dedicated and faithful guides.<br>
<br>
The Hildon Foundation...<br>
<br>
The Hildon Foundation and, specifically, the Foundation Board should be<br>
viewed in quite a different light, though. It is the Hildon Foundation<br>
that will oversee the transition of the Maemo Community away from Nokia<br>
<br>
and into the hands of the community. Of course, the Foundation is also<br>
very concerned with ongoing development within both the Mer and Nemo<br>
projects, so facilitating their future is also quite important.<br>
<br>
<br>
It is the Hildon Foundation that will administer such things as<br>
community infrastructure, managing money needed to continue the<br>
community, and general oversight of features and functionality in and<br>
<br>
around the strata of the community. Understand that it is the<br>
"Foundation Board" -- regardless of the individuals who actually occupy<br>
the roles within -- who accept and administer responsibilities.<br>
<br>
![cleardot.gif][2]<br>
<br>
Because of this, it is the current Board's opinion that the relational<br>
dynamic between the community, the Council, and the Board should remain<br>
very similar to how they existed between the community, the Council, and<br>
Nokia in past years. And, because of this, it is the Boards opinion<br>
that the community should continue to communicate directly with the<br>
Council, and not necessarily with the Board. (Hence, discussion forums<br>
such as "Ask the Board" are quite inappropriate for these purposes as<br>
they never existed between the community and Nokia.)<br>
<br>
In Conclusion...<br>
<br>
All of this being said, the Hildon Foundation Board will make every<br>
attempt to run "business" in an open source manner. We will publish as<br>
much of our meeting minutes as possible without violating any non<br>
disclosure agreements. Likewise, we will make every attempt to respond<br>
to community communication via the Maemo Community Council, especially<br>
those things that pertain to community infrastructure and daily<br>
operations. Lastly, we will remain active within the community as<br>
regular community members.<br>
<br>
Thank you...<br>
<br>
Thank you for supporting this community. It is the reason why we who<br>
choose to serve in more political capacities like the Community Council<br>
and the Board. There is no other reason. We believe in this community.<br>
We desire this community to succeed. We will do everything we can to<br>
facilitate the growth of this community.<br>
<br>
In service,<br>
The Hildon Foundation Board<br>
<br>
[1]: <a href="http://maemo.org" target="_blank">http://maemo.org</a><br>
[2]: <a href="https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif" target="_blank">https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/images/cleardot.gif</a><br>
<br>
URL: <a href="http://maemo.org/community/council/open_letter_from_the_hildon_foundation_board_to_the_maemo_community/" target="_blank">http://maemo.org/community/council/open_letter_from_the_hildon_foundation_board_to_the_maemo_community/</a><br>
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</blockquote></div><br><br clear="all"><br>-- <br>Iván Gálvez Junquera<br>