Marc, thank you very much for the well thought out writing.
On Tue, Apr 11, 2006 at 06:40:34PM +0200, Marc 'HE' Brockschmidt wrote: > 1.1.1 Applicants > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > Some applicants start the NM process with a wrong impression of the > amount of time needed to finish successfully. I don't think the amount of time that one needs to invest into the NM process is clear from reading nm.debian.org. A few NMs who I sponsor packages for complain that it will probably take up to one year until they are through with it. Of course it's more frustrating if you think you can get through within a month and are impatient. IMHO the NM process should be treated as an acoompanying process while the NM is still contributing - so the waiting time isn't too bad. Just maintaining a package as an "alibi" to get into NM process and then doing nothing but answering the AM's questions will be unsatisfying. And it will add one more to the list of MIA developers. > 1.1.2 Application Managers > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > The lack of free Application Managers that led to the accumulation of > applicants waiting for an AM is mostly based on the fact that many > developers don't care about the NM process, so only a few people are > actually helping out. I'm personally interested in the NM process. Just that I think I lack deeper knowledge in some aspects that are necessary to become an AM. E.g. I haven't yet packaged a library or worked in deep detail with the autotools just to name examples. While it may appear that most DDs just ignore the idea that they should consider becoming an AM perhaps they don't think they are skilled enough for it. It's not (only) the convenience. > A lack of motivation also affects the actual processing of applications, > AMs are sometimes unresponsive in regard to NM things because they're > too frustrated to actually sit down and finish the applications for NM > they've accepted. They also don't reflect on this unresponsiveness and > (almost) never ask for help or a substitute. Motivation is surely a problem. Unfortunately I only got to know the NM side of things so far (not only from my own historical experience - also from other applicants) and in many cases the applicant was pretty responsive but had to wait weeks for a reply from the AM. I'm not sure what the problems were. Too many NMs simultaneously per AM? Too small timeslots for the NM process? I can imagine that being an AM is often tedious. Perhaps putting applicants on hold quicker would work in favor of the active applicants. > 1.2.3 Drop Front Desk/merge with DAM > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > The opinion that the FD check of reports is not needed has been > presented more than once. Assuming this would be a real possibility, it > would leave the problems not related to the DAM/FD unfixed. I don't claim to know how the NM works backstage. But from my naive view why can't it be like this: The AM checks the applicant and decides whether the applicant is ready to become a DD. The AM then either drops the applicant or tells the DAM to create the account. No report needs to be written by the AM which is just read by the FD and DAM. That way the AM would be more motivated by the higher level of responsibility and by no need to write a report about it. And all we read is a personal introduction from the applicant. > 1.2.5 More than one AM per applicant IMHO that just creates overhead. If an AM gets into a situation where the necessary time for the applicant is missing then another AM could deal with the applicant. > 1.2.6 Web-based checks Not good. Especially because I trust the AMs to do some checks about social hygiene. The writing style, the movitation, the working style... all that needs to be considered. It's not just multiple-choice. > 2. Possible solutions > ===================== > > 2.1 Multiple advocates > ---------------------- Very good idea. That would mean the applicant has to work with more than just one DD. So i second that. > 2.2 Requiring (more) work before applying > ----------------------------------------- A DD whose opinion I value a lot once said: "To become a DD it's helpful (if not mandatory) to already be part of the project - not become one while being in the NM process." If the applicant has the right expectations it's likely more joyful for both parties. Christoph -- ~ ~ ".signature" [Modified] 1 line --100%-- 1,48 All -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]
