SEC=UNCLASSIFIED RE: Community Council meeting 6 dec 2005

[Stoffers, Robert LAC]

> Well after the meeting was over, Ryan Troy arrived with a bad temper,
> saying that he was "sick of all the bullshit with the forums and the
> CC". After lots of discussion it was clear that he has mistaken the CC
> agenda, which anyone can edit, for an official opinion of the CC.
>
> It is clear that the CC has little knowledge of how the forums work and
> that this needs to change. This topic will be covered next meeting.

The Ubuntu forums promotes itself as an official Ubuntu project, but in reality is a law unto itself. Often I have seen administrators of these forums commit actions that I feel are not in line with the Ubuntu Code of Conduct. Actions such as abusing their administrative power, threatening users who simply do not agree with them in threads and more. All of this reflects poorly upon the Ubuntu project, and is the main reason I tend to stay away from the forums as much as possible. This is why people, such as your guy above, have been lashing out as much as they have. Many forum users are becoming frustrated with the way the forums are currently run and something needs to be done about it.

I propose that the forums become a proper official project. By this I mean the following things:

a. Be accessible from http://forums.ubuntu.com.
b. Move the forum to a Ubuntu-run server, using open source forum software in line with the sprit of Ubuntu Linux.
b. The low level administration (ssh access to the forum web site, set up etc) be done by the same people who run the Ubuntu web site.
c. The forum administration be done only by Ubuntu Members that have signed the Code of Conduct, appointed by the Ubuntu Community Council (at least initially until the team is established).
d. Become a proper, accountable for their actions, Ubuntu team as listed at http://www.ubuntulinux.org/community/teams/.

Most of this ensures that users and administrators alike are aware that they are using an official resource of the Ubuntu project, and as such are aware that the Code of Conduct applies. This also makes it easier for the community council to understand how the forums work, and change things in the future that need to be changed. I am happy to bring this up as an agenda item at a future Community Council meeting, and I am also willing to volunteer my services in the set up and running of the above proposal.

Regards,

Robert Stoffers
Ubuntu Documentation Team
rob1 AT ubuntu.com