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List:       kde-core-devel
Subject:    Re: [Fwd: Decision Making (was Re: PROPOSAL: "Mac" menubar as default)]
From:       Don Sanders <dsanders () cch ! com ! au>
Date:       2000-04-28 13:04:51
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On Fri, 28 Apr 2000, mosfet wrote:
[cut]
> Just curious, when do you think an issue discussed here has not been
> able to be resolved? I think the developers have been pretty good at
> coming up with a consensus about most decisions. I'm intrested to hear
> when you don't think this has occurred.

I really don't want to go into details on the list.

> Unstructured discussion is the only way things are going to happen in
> free software,

Well a lot of stuff gets done without any discussion. Often discussions are 
only initiated due to a conflict (or the desire to avoid conflict) or due to 
the fact someone needs advice. I mean discussion by itself is normally just 
talk not code. Pretty much everyone who is contributing is thinking for 
themselves and deciding for themselves what needs to be done. There aren't 
really any discussions about who should do what (and this is normally a very 
good thing).

The way that some details are decided in KDE (like what the default settings 
should be or what backgrounds should be included) is different from other 
projects.

I would say linux kernel development is different in that ultimately Linus 
decides what gets accepted in his kernel and he has final say, so that's a 
(benevolent) dictatorship. Also Perl development (from what I've heard) has a 
revolving (benevolent) dictatorship where people take turns in being in the 
hotseat and deciding what is acceptable and what isn't. The Apache link I 
gave was referenced in a recent article on Linux Today that talked about 
their decision making system, which seems very structured (perhaps it only 
works as the number of core Apache developers is limited to something like 20)


In fact I think KDE is quite unusual having such an open system. I think this 
is normally a good thing but once or twice I've wished someone could 
interrupt a discussion, say right this isn't getting us anywhere, last 
comments everyone and then we'll have a vote tomorrow.

Okay, that's just my thoughts.

BFN,
Don.

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