Debate & Decisions

Fri Apr 16 10:11:19 BST 2010

To the Ubuntu Au community,

   On Monday, I posted an email to this list with a proposal to create
an 'Australian Community Council' (ACC).
   Resulting from this post there have been about 58 replies with
about 16 contributors.

   Firstly, I would like to thank everybody for making a contribution,
having the courage to speak up and express an opinion.
   There have been some well thought out replies, some have vented
their anger & frustration, some have been constructive & others not
so.
   Over these last few days I have been pondering on how to write this
email, how to try and re-unite the community. (It might be lengthy,
   these are my own opinions, some may share them, some may oppose.)

   We all have one thing in common, a passion for 'UBUNTU'.
   If we didn't why would we bother to engage in a discussion about
this important issue.

THE DISCUSSION:
   From the discussions it is pretty clear (I think), that there seem
to be five themes.

   1.  Some people are in favour of an 'ACC', giving the community a
say in how things are run.
   2.  Some people are happy with the way things are now.
   3.  Some people have real grievances about how they have been
treated in the past (& present).
   4.  Some people think that 'Less Talk - More Action' is required.
   5.  The Silent Majority.

   "Everybody is right and all of your arguments are valid."
   We bring with us, our own Prejudice, Ego, Agenda, Thoughts and
Perceptions.
   We just differ on how we perceive the situation. Does it need
fixing? How to fix it?

THE MODEL:
   When I presented the Model, I admit that it might have scared some
people (Maybe I didn't sell it enough).
   It is not really a scary document, it does talk about 3 levels,
'Local, State, National'
   and it goes into some detail about Roles, Responsibilities,
Elections and 'what if' scenarios.
   I apologise, it is due to my 'Systems Analyst', 'Big Picture
thinking' and my
   'Applications/Programmer', 'small details' background.  (That's
enough about me)

   The Model was a collaboration so I can't take all of the credit.
(Not that I'm seeking it)
   As there has been NO comment on the structure of the model, IMO, it
must be pretty close to the 'money'.
   Not to say that there is no room for improvement or changes.
   I have made slight changes to it see https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-au/council/structure-detailed

   Out of the discussions a couple of concerns that people raised:
   1.  "The Model is three(3) levels of 'Bureaucracy'"
       It is NOT a 'Bureaucracy', there are just three(3) levels.
       'Local'- A group of people on the ground, at a local level,
'City' or 'Region'
       'State'- IF the numbers on the ACC get too large for meaningful
discussion/decision making
                THEN a 'State Council' would be formed.
                ELSE a possible 'Talk-Fest' with no decision making at
the ACC meetings .
       'National'- A collection of representatives(leaders), from the
'local' groups.

       Everybody is autonomous, just like it currently stands.
       Anybody can make a contribution in anyway as they see fit
(within reason, that doesn't damage ubuntu-au).

   2.  "There is no need for 'Titles'"
       It is true that you don't need a 'Title' to make a contribution
or be a 'Leader'.
       It is also true that you need to 'Earn' a 'Title', through your
'Actions'.

       However, people are identified through their 'Title', it gives
us a clue as to their role within an organisation.
       A 'Team Contact' performs a role, a 'Local Contact' performs
another, a 'Web Master' performs another. etc.
       When a 'New' person comes along, they look for people with a
'Title' and have certain expectations.
       An organisation that doesn't APPEAR to have many people with a
'Title' does little to inspire peoples' interest (& confidence).
       'Who do I contact?,  Who do I talk to about this?, Is there
somebody local?'
       You may argue that 'what we currently have', addresses these
issues, IRC, email list etc.  But is it really enough?

   3.  "We don't have the numbers?"
       Is this a 'Chicken & Egg' scenario?
       According to the 'Official numbers' there are 211
members(launchpad), with 337 subscribers to this list. Duplicates ??
       Who knows how many 'Un-official' members we have, Ie. Those who
register on the 'ubuntu.com.au' website and go no further!
       (This is a question I have been asking, for a long time and
have yet to get an answer. It seams to be a secret!
        I see new people every time I take a look at the website.)
       Then there is 'Facebook', 'Google Groups', 'flickr' and
numerous other groups around the place.

       Maybe the Question should be, "How do we Motivate this silent
majority to become active?"
       My answer would be "Put in place an environment & structure to
foster participation"
       We just need to look at the phenomenon of 'Ebay', 'Facebook',
'Twitter' to see this. (These may not be the best examples)
       When you build a structure around a sound concept things
happen, the 'snowball' effect.

       One 'Goal' of the ubuntu-au community could be to have a
'Local' group in every 'Capital city'.
       Whether it be a part of a 'LUG' or another organisation or
independently organised.

       Currently it seems that we have 'active' groups in 'Brisbane &
Adelaide'.
       I don't know what happens in 'Melbourne & Sydney', either
nothing or nobody else hears about it. (I shouldn't have to ask)
       According to our 'wiki membership list' there seem to be many
people in 'Sydney & Melbourne'.
       I'm sure that there is enough 'leadership' material, for a
'local-Contact' & someone to organise.

       For the other Capitals, Nothing much happens in 'Hobart,
Canberra, Darwin or Perth', from what I can tell.
       There needs to be 'Support' & 'A Mechanism' to bring people
together wanting to form their own 'Local Groups'.
       It is not enough to 'tell' people 'That they need to become
more active' without helping them. (Less talk More-action)

       We have the tools, Website, Wiki, IRC, mailing list but we are
not using them properly.
       I have created a 'mock' website at www.ubuntu-au.gandella.com
to illustrate extra information that could be
       conveyed to current & new visitors on our ubuntu.com.au
website, but this is not the subject of this post.

       Currently the numbers on an ACC could be 'Team-Contact, Web-
master, Brisbane, Adelaide' with possibly 'Sydney & Melbourne'
       That makes six(6), a nice number to start with.

TRIAL PERIOD:  18 Months
        As it has been previously stated there would be a review in 18
months time as to the effectiveness of an ACC and the Model.
        If it doesn't work we can scrap it, if it needs changing we
can change it.

        In my mind, 'Nothing ventured, nothing gained"

SUMMARY:
        Nothing really changes, Individuals & Groups are autonomous.
        Nobody will be 'telling' anybody what to do. 'Guiding' yes -
'Telling' no.
        The ACC (Leadership group) is a visible 'Contact' that
provides 'Support & Consultation' to the ubuntu-au community,
        the community at large and to each other.

        Adopting this model has many advantages, with very few
disadvantages.
        Among the best:
        1. It shares 'leadership' amongst many. (Currently there is
very little)
        2. A 'Visible' contact at a local level for existing and new
people. (Currently limited)
        3. Co-ordination at a National level. (None at the moment)
        4. Group goals can be set and implemented. (Currently they are
very loose)
        5. Extra communication channels going both-ways. (Currently
limited)
        6. A 'Roadmap' for the 'Present' with the 'Future' in mind.
(???)
        7. We could be a well organised group that is to be taken
seriously.

IMPLEMENTATION & ACTION:
       Hopefully, I have convinced some of the 'nay-sayers' that this
model is a good one and that it needs to be implemented.
       In some respects it is 'already' implemented, anybody has the
freedom to create a 'Local' group or 'BE' a leader.
       It 'Formalises' it a little bit and hopefully it will foster
more participation amongst ourselves & in turn the wider community.

       I know that some of you still don't care either way because you
are happy with how things are currently or that you think
       that things are not broken so why fix.  Some think that there
is a problem and that this may go part of the way to solve it.
       Others just want 'Less Talk and More Action'.  Then there is
the 'Silent Majority'.

       For it to work, it needs the support of this community and
especially the 'leaders' in the group.

       Most importantly it needs the support of out 'Team Contact'
Melissa Draper.

       Melissa, You have been very quiet, observing these proceedings!
                I'm sure that you have an 'Opinion' we would like to
hear?
                (You do hold a certain 'Sway' in this community)

                Will you Work (& Share) with the members of an ACC
(The representatives from 'Local' groups) ?
                Will you allocate access to resources to implement
'change' if it is deemed necessary?

MOVING THINGS FORWARD:

        Can we get some sort of 'CONSENSUS' that this 'PROPOSAL' be
implemented?

        Do we need to take it to a 'VOTE'?  (if we take a vote, how
will it be validated?)

FINALLY:
Thanks to Daniel for asking this
"The question we should be asking is what needs to be done and what
isn't
being done with the current system and how adding this will help.   "

I hope that I have gone some of the way in answering your question.

We all have one thing in common, a passion for 'UBUNTU' and that #1
bug to work on.

Regards,

Andrew G.

PS.  I have tried to follow the guidelines set down in
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/LoCoResolvingProblems
     This post has been made available as an attachment at
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/ubuntu-au/council/structure-detailed