Regarding Ubuntu-SE

[Kent Nyberg]

Hello there Jono,

I am writing to you regarding our problems in the swedish LoCo.
We are having some problems with solving issues regarding the way of how
we should organise ourselves and regarding current leadership.  First of
all, though I am sure you understand this, do notice that I am in no way
an "objective ideal observer" or similar. 

I have been semi-active in the swedish LoCo before we even got to be a
LoCo.  I have been around since pre-warty; since we just had a small
irc-channel (#ubuntu.se, which we later changed to #ubuntu-se).   
During the early days of our existens we had a more informal way of
solving issues and getting work done.  When we had issues to deal with
we gathered on irc  and had a discussion about it and then most of the
time solved it with voting.  It worked for us at then.  I am not going
to argue that it is the best solution right now. I will take that issue
aside at the time being.
The problem right now, is that we lack ability to solve the issue of
organising the LoCo. 

Some time ago we created a formal society/association called "Ubuntu
Sweden" where we stated  rules of organisation etc.
At the moment no one seems to have an understanding if that association
is to be known as the LoCo or if they are separate associations.  The
contact person for the LoCo is also the leader of the association. They
way this association established is unclear. As this is unclear, the
moral basis for the leadership of the LoCo and new organisation is also
unclear.  To make it even harder, the current leadership  makes
decisions that, in my point of view, can be said to do much everything
but help the situation.   They ban people in our forum for taking parts
in debate about the leadership - and does it by saying that they do not
respect the democratic ways of Ubuntu sweden.  The banned people get no
reason for being banned but simple phrases as not following the rules -
the rules and way of organisation we are debating. The people who
criticise the leadership is by no mean  few.  A hint about the status
can be given on irc.  The leadership wanted full control of irc - and
was refused by the person who holds the password - so they created their
own new channel called #ubuntu-sverige. They are about 26 people there,
compared to about 100 in the old channel which as of weeks ago is not
known as the official and people there recognise it not as such. I know
it is not a scientific  observation but it gives a hint.  The critic is
by no mean a one mans work. That aside, we need to solve the issue and
in some way solve it in such a way that we have a good moral basis for
the status of the way we organise work and solve issues in the future.
It is in the LoCos best interest to solve it by best way possible.

We are to hold an election on 10/2.  Though this election, as it it
going to be organised, will not solve the issues.   It is just another
example of our problems.  Our contact person for the LoCo,  also the
leader of Ubuntu Sweden (the association..) ,  has made it clear that
the next contact person (and leader of the association) must be accepted
by him to be nominated to the voting.  This is the first issue.  That is
not a way we do voting in democratic societies.  As such, it wont help
give moral status to whatever the outcome. It will just poor gas on the
fire.  The basis for this view of him, that he is to accept the
nominated persons first, is grounded on the associations rules and CoC.
The association which is not clear if it is to be seen as the Loco it
self;  and the CoC which is by no mean rules and containes phrases that
translates diffrently to people of diverging  moral understandings.  
As for the voting,  we dont know how it will be done.  It will make
difference to the outcome if we get to say yes to only one nominated
person,  or yes and no to each and everyone.  Not sure if it is common
in other countries, the latter is not common in Sweden but some
association does it that way and since we do not know how it will be
done, we need to keep it open that that might be the way of the voting.
Another issue is where the voting will take place. It is said that the
voting will take place on the servers forum.  The same forum which many
of the critics is being banned from.  As such, the voting will not be
fair in any reasonable way. 
Keep in mind that many of the critics have great upstream-karma (Motu's,
translators etc) and as such cant be categorised as people who's agenda
is to harm the Ubuntu community just becaus of the major diverging views
of the problem.
Hence, in more than three major issues the voting will make it very hard
to create a moral basis on which a majority will stand. Acting upon the
current agenda we as a LoCo will only make things worse.


I can go on about the problems we have; not forever but enough to take
your time from important issues. (as this).
The current status is such that we can not solve our problems by
ourselves. 
I write to you with a sincere hope that Ubuntu "upstream" can take part
in our issue in such way that the LoCo can agree upon the status of the
following (which for me is the major issue):

1. Create an understanding about the status of Ubuntu Sweden (the
society) and the LoCo.  Are they the same,  who have control over the
server, which rules apply to each etc. 
2. Hold an election with an outcome that the majority will accept and
hold as a moral ground for future workings with Ubuntu and a way of
solving issues to come.
3. If we are in no capacity of solving our issue,  Ubuntu "upstream"
decides upon a person with upstream-karma enough to be trusted with
governing the LoCo for a period of time so that we can put this issue
aside in some way -  having Ubuntu/Canonical giving the last word gives
some moral ground most should accept since the server etc is provided by
Ubuntu/Canonical.

 Keep in mind that in no way am I giving an objective report, if such
should exist.  My main interest is to get upstream to notice our
problems and to take some part in solving them.

Kent Nyberg.   (CCing this to the LoCo)
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