Where is FreeBSD going?

Wes Peters wes at softweyr.com
Tue Jan 6 09:07:39 PST 2004


On Monday 05 January 2004 11:14 am, Brett Glass wrote:
> I'd like to see a more open and inclusive form of governance for
> FreeBSD. The current system of governance has, as its underlying
> assumption, that the most prolific coders make the best leaders.
> In my personal experience, this isn't a valid assumption. System
> administrators and end users have a big stake in FreeBSD, and are
> just as likely (perhaps more likely) to be good leaders for the
> project.

The current system of governance is open and inclusive of those who have 
demonstrated the talent, ability, and willingness to be contributors to 
FreeBSD.  The current core team is made up of a mix of big-time coders 
like Peter and Warner, and small-time coders like myself (now slightly 
below middle of the pack on commits) and a variety of other skills.  I 
strongly encourage all FreeBSD committers to continuously watch for 
people who might be good core team members.  Watch for leadership, for a 
sense of fair play, and for the ability to steer FreeBSD, from both 
technical and organizational viewpoints.  Look for someone with 'the big 
picture,' and a vision of where FreeBSD is headed that you share.

Somebody whose viewpoint doesn't extend beyond the virtual memory system, 
for instance, may be critical to the success of a kernel, but that 
doesn't necessarily make them the best person to steer a complex product 
that brings 10,000 applications along with it.  We don't appear to have 
anyone like that on core now, and I doubt we will in the future.

Programmers, system administrators, end users, and anyone else who wants 
to contribute to FreeBSD are welcome to contribute in whatever way they 
can.  Anyone can file a PR about any aspect of the system they find 
troubling, or delightful, or have a better way of doing.  Strike up a 
relationship with a committer or two (or twenty), let your ability and 
willingness to work be known, and become a committer too.  400 or so of 
your peers have already done it.

-- 

        Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?

Wes Peters                                               wes at softweyr.com



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