On 22/10/15 at 07:01 +1300, martin f krafft wrote: > also sprach Lucas Nussbaum <[email protected]> [2015-10-20 19:49 +1300]: > > Given that the chairs are supposed to protect the Debian Project > > from serious issues with DebConf organization, > > This concern seems to be at the root of both delegations so far. > > I don't have my tongue in my cheek here at all, but have we ever > stepped back and answered the question what threats could put the > Debian Project at jeopardy which couldn't have been prevented > through a functioning team even without sledgehammer powers?
You've twisted my words a bit here. I see DebConf as a very important event for Debian. Quoting "Words from the DPL" from the DC13 final report: Debian contributors have long understood the central contribution of DebConf to the success of Debian. Each year, Debian geeks from all over the world look forward to that event, and for many of them, including myself, DebConf is simply unmissable. DebConf is so important because it feels like it exists in a suspended reality: a reality where Debian enthusiasts, who during the year fight hard to find free time slots to work on Debian, can finally do so 24x7. From the outside, DebConf could be seen as a hacking event, and the number of IP addresses per attendee could reinforce that feeling. But it is actually primarily a social event. It enables Debian contributors to put faces to names (and nicknames), meet with each other, talk about future ideas and design plans, strengthen the ties within the Debian community, and smooth grudges that arise when communicating only over the Internet. Debian should protect itself from serious issues with DebConf organization, not only because some of those issues could maybe put the Debian project at jeopardy (even if it's a bit hard to imagine), but also because it's extremely important to continue to have successful DebConfs. Of course, a functioning team could avoid most issues, but I think that we want to keep the possibility to have bids led by people who have relatively little DebConf or even Debian experience. By providing a safety net, chairs are a compromise that make it easier, less risky, to have such inexperienced (and more likely to be malfunctioning) bid teams. Lucas _______________________________________________ Debconf-team mailing list [email protected] http://lists.debconf.org/mailman/listinfo/debconf-team
