[ogb-discuss] OpenSolaris processes

[John Plocher]

Stephen Lau wrote:
> The charter and the constitution are seemingly at odds here. 

Some observations that seem obvious to me:

o As much as we might think otherwise, OS.o isn't nearly as
   important as a nation/state/government; the consequences for
   mistakes here are nowhere close to being life- or liberty-
   threatening (happiness-, on the other hand, is up for some
   serious debate :-)

o A constitution exists to serve a society, and not the other
   way around.  It is only a means to an end.  In our case,
   it exists to help us create and maintain a dynamic,
   distributed and effective community.

o The consequences of failing to create and maintain such a
   community are significant and negative.

o If a conflict emerges between what needs to be done and the
   words we have drafted in our governance papers, the words
   need to be changed - we all seem to agree that what we have
   now is a first-pass and is expected to change as we gain
   some experience.

o If the OGB breaks the "rules", and is successful in what it
   tried, nobody will care about the rules.  On the other hand,
   if they follow the rules, and by doing so, cause the community
   as a whole to fail, then everyone loses.

o There is no OS.o judicial body that will slap the OGB's fingers
   if it does something other than what is found in the constitution.
   The worse that can happen is that you might get reelected :-)

This leads to my response to Stephen and the OGB - "so go fix
the constitution so that you can do what needs to be done;
in the meantime, start doing the things that need to be done
and don't worry about it".

   -John