Refining MOTU Mentoring

[Scott Kitterman]

> Nicolas Robin wrote:

> > Maybe this Idea should be applied for an official classroom channel,
> > specially designed for new contributors to be helped by MOTUs ? It is
> > the best way to progress, to be in touch with many MOTUs and to be free
> > to ask all the questions you want.

I thought this is what #ubuntu-motu was for?

Since we started the MOTU mentoring process it has seemed to me that there are 
fewer people willing to ask questions on #ubuntu-motu.  I am increasingly 
PM'ed with packaging questions.  NOTE: I don't have statistics, this is my 
impression.

I'm curious from those who are "mentoring" if they see near-term progress 
towards being a MOTU from their charges?  

It appears to me that people who don't have a mentor are being demotivated and 
thinking they can't participate.  At least I see less activity from new 
hopefuls on #ubuntu-motu.  Now this may have all been picked up by the 
mentors list and so I'm off base, but my impression is that since we've had a 
formal mentors program there has been a lot less activity from new people 
that is visible to the community.

I'm not sure what the right answer is here, but the fact that people are 
saying they need a place " to be free to ask all the questions you want" 
indicates a significant problem in my opinion.  We already have such a place, 
#ubuntu-motu and if it's not recognized as such, we need to fix that.

Scott K