[Sugar-devel] Private vs Public conversations.

[David Farning]

On Fri, Nov 1, 2013 at 3:59 PM, James Cameron <quozl at laptop.org> wrote:
> p.s. it is good that you are being transparent with your decisions,
> because that gives you a chance to have them publically reviewed.  ;-)
>
> On Fri, Nov 01, 2013 at 12:04:11PM -0500, David Farning wrote:
>> Thanks for the update. Currently, AC does not have the credibility to
>> participate in the design process.
>
> To not participate in the design process is entirely your decision,
> but, if you'll accept my advice, your reasoning for the decision is
> flawed!
>
> Credibility is not what you think it is.

In this context credibility is a combination of trustworthiness and
expertise... which is individually earned from one's peers. At this
point I don't expect that either I nor any of the developers from
Activity have established credibility within Sugar Labs.

Expertise is pretty straight forward, does the individual have a
history of making good decisions about the subject at hand?

Trustworthiness is also pretty straight forward:
1. Does the individual have a track record of, saying what they will
do and then doing what they said they would do?
2. Is the individual able to fairly balance their own interests, the
interests of the project, and the interests of the ecosystem?
3. Is the individual able to bring out the best in themselves and
other around them though effective work and communication?

Credibility take time and effort to earn.

> For technical design and feature specification in the Sugar Labs
> community, organisational credibility is not required.  It is the
> technical input that is valuable.  Sugar Labs has received valuable
> input from a range of credibilities, including bright young children,
> teachers of children, and crusty old engineers like me.
>
> And if you do think organisational credibility is required, that begs
> the question of why ... is it that you expect your technical input to
> be swayed by your credibility?  Surely not.
>
> Don't hold the community to ransom for your technical input, just give
> it, give it early, and give it often.
>
>> Let's give it 2-3 months for AC's R&D team learning how to work
>> effectively with the HTML5+JS team at SL.
>
> Use this phase of the process as an opportunity for you and your
> people to practice communicating with other developers in the
> community; and measure the effort in the design process, not the
> achievements.
>
>> In the first couple of weeks, I expect that this will mostly involve
>> creating web activities to build familiarity the the technologies
>> and API's. The return value to Sugar Labs will be testing and
>> feedback about the current web activities framework.
>
> I'm worried that it is quite late in the life of the web activities
> framework for this feedback, but better late than never.
>
> --
> James Cameron
> http://quozl.linux.org.au/



-- 
David Farning
Activity Central: http://www.activitycentral.com