This is a good discussion to have had before entering the incubator, and I'm satisfied that the intent is good, and the podling can demonstrate during incubation that the founder will in fact step back and allow the project to move forward without the founder's undue influence. Note that it's fine for the founder to continue to work on the project, but in a different role.
I have been standing back and not getting deeply involved with this discussion because it pertains too closely to me. It is my intention to divest myself of total authority over the project just as stated in the Proposal. Further, it is my intention to stay out of the initial formation of the project as much as possible, in partial fulfillment of Ted Dunning's "thought experiment." I intend to vote 0 on all decisions before the PPMC -- unless, I suppose, I had some very strong opinion about some topic. I cannot imagine what topic that might be, however.
I will be available as needed for information needed by the others to accomplish this transition but for the most part, just consider me as on vacation in place. I will help as much as needed and stay out of the way as much as possible.
I suppose I should say a little more about my motivations in this. Without some understanding, is is reasonable to be skeptical. Yes, the project is very dear to me and the result of many years of blood, sweat, and tears and years of work mostly done alone for crazy long hours. Being a "benevolent dictator" does not proper describe my past role because I was the ONLY person on the project. I did everything. I still do.
There are two things that motivate me: First, the workload has gotten to be far too much for one person. I dispose of around 60-100 changes per week and really have no personal life left. It is more than I can do (and much more than I can do well). The only real way to solve that is to open the project up to others working as equals. The second, and more important, motivation is the I am closing in on 70 years old now. I retired 8 retires ago and I cannot realistically control this project long into the future. For my personal health and sanity, I really need to detach and let the project take a life of its own that does not depend on me in any way.
I would see the biggest risk to a new PPMC would not be me, but rather the sheer volume of work that the PPMC is stepping into. I am prepared for some initial chaos and perhaps a missed release cycle. But I have come to accept that that is a reasonable price to pay for a clean knife-edge hand-off.
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