On Fri, 2003-02-28 at 02:04, Noel J. Bergman wrote:
> Dion,
> 
> > > The reason for this challenge is simple: to
> > > demonstrate the the antipathy towards other
> > > ASF efforts is damaging not only to the ASF,
> > > but to Maven itself.
> 
> > 'antipathy' == 'A strong feeling of aversion or repugnance'.
> 
> However you want to label it, Jason's harshly phrased statements yesterday
> regarding collaboration with other ASF projects (and people) expressed an
> attitude that some people, including myself, obviously didn't view
> positively.  In fairness, my reaction is influenced as much by my views on
> software development as by his words.  Nor did I miss his somewhat contrite
> reply to Ken Coar.  I would hope that his comments are not representative of
> Maven.  I would prefer to believe that his comments are not even
> representative of himself.

I don't see how my comments could not be seen as representative of
myself. I make no apology for speaking my mind, being somewhat ruthless
and even vicious at times. Most people who meet me find I'm generally
amicable. I am not averse to collaboration but like everyone, whether
they care to admit it or not, I am selective.

An example of this for me outside of software is my participation in
activities around my community. I don't have any children of my own but
I help take of my neighbour's children, go to parent/teacher meetings
and I'm generally interested in the education of children. I like to
setup little workshops for kids for building radios or whatever. I was
once asked to work with this person who was the embodiment of popular
trends in education in the province I live in. In a nutshell the theory
is a child's self-esteem is more important critical thinking. That it's
ok if Bobby can't spell 'button' as long as he feels good about himself.
To me that is utter nonsense. Self esteem emanates from the ability to
think critically and deal with the world around you. Creating a
artificial bubble around a child serves no useful purpose and you are
basically crippling the child for life. That's my personal view and I
felt so strongly that this is a digusting notion and will only server to
cause widespread irrepairable damage. So I told this person to screw off
and that I would have nothing

I feel much the same way about creating an artifical bubble of community
around projects that have no substance. That quality software comes
first and it is not borne out of community. If the software is good,
serves a purpose and is useful a community will form. I feel that
collaboration with some individuals and groups would only serve to
poison worthy efforts. They are my personal feelings and I'm certainly
not going to ignore them. I don't have to like everyone, I don't have to
respect everyone. I get singled out for a single line of dialog and get
labeled as a hostile anti collaborator but I have actually done some
good around here and have worked successfully with many individuals to
get things done.

> You know me well enough to know that I view collaboration as the efficient
> reuse of expertise, creativity and resources towards the synergistic
> development of the best result.  No matter how right I think I am, I could
> be wrong about something; no matter how wrong I think someone else is, there
> could be the seed of a really good idea there if I am willing to give it
> further exploration after shrugging off the first reaction to dismiss it.
> Usually there is an amalgam that is better than the original "pure" ideas.

I don't just decide arbitrarily not to collaborate. I look at all I can
get my hands on and make a decision. And I most certainly agree that all
ideas are recombinations of existing ideas with the odd original
extension.

> A development tool exists for the purpose of servicing other projects.  I
> viewed Sam's comments as expressing the concern that if personalities were
> to get in the way of collaborating to produce something that better serves
> other projects, then that would be damaging.  With Ant, the ASF set the
> standard (for better or worse) for Java build tools.  With Maven, that is
> extended, enhanced, embedded to handle web-based project management.  You
> said that there is a great deal of synergy between Ant and Maven.  It is
> natural to feel that these are related projects, and that collaboration
> would not only be beneficial, but highly desired by all parties.  The
> antagonistic response, with neither provocation nor justification, was
> disconcerting to say the least.  

Would you please give it a rest. The fact of the matter is you barely
know me at all and without context they probably did seem out of place.
My qualms are with a very select group. Take a look at some of the other
things I've done. I don't have a blanket-venom policy for everyone. I
can also work productively when there are disagreements. Geir and I have
often had it out over bits and pieces in Velocity but we always
eventualy align and compromise and Velocity is doing just fine. Geir and
I have probably had discussion that are probably 10 times more heated
than anything that's gone on here. I am not an entirely unreasonable
person I'm just highly opinionated.

> It is unsurprising then to have concerns
> regarding a productive relationship with an entity exhibiting that attitude.
> Your reply that the workload of one PMC having to oversee both projects
> being too high to do properly came across as completely differently in
> character.
> 
>       --- Noel
> 
> 
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-- 
jvz.

Jason van Zyl
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://tambora.zenplex.org

In short, man creates for himself a new religion of a rational
and technical order to justify his work and to be justified in it.
  
  -- Jacques Ellul, The Technological Society


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