Discuss mailing list

[Jamyn Shanley <jshanley AT gmail.com>]

On Tue, Dec 4, 2012 at 7:55 PM, Brian Koontz <brian AT opennicproject.org> wrote:

On Tue, Dec 04, 2012 at 03:19:43PM -0600, Jamyn Shanley wrote:
> The vast majority of OpenNIC information could (should?) be put on the
> website, and not a wiki. Essentially there's core information that needs to
> be communicated, and all of that could be put on a website (dynamic or not):

The original intent of the wiki was to serve as a technical
repository.  AFAIK, you all can do what you want.  This happens every
so often:  New blood comes on board, demands change to the
latest/greatest web platform flavor of the day, then departs the fix
without a trace.  Seen it happen more times than I can count.  So call
me jaded, call me a stick in the mud, whatever.  I'll just leave the
wiki open and available.  Someone else wants to come along and
reinvent the wheel, by all means do so.

To me, the wasted effort comes from duplicating work that's already
been done.  You all want pretty?  Make a pretty website.  But if you
do, plan on sticking around for the long run to maintain it, update
the contents, etc.  Otherwise, it just becomes one in a long line of
failed efforts to get the info to the masses

To be direct with you - I have to say, out of all possible responses to feedback, yours is the least useful. It doesn't encourage help, it doesn't promote goodwill, and it doesn't paint the project in any sort of a good light. Your response is stereotypically cranky and irritable and "old sysadmin" and does not convey any of the qualities of what people would want to see in a project lead. People want to volunteer for someone they like. Would you volunteer your time for someone that responded to you? Read your post again. If you're honest with yourself, you'd admit you come off as grouchy and irritable and you're not promoting any sort of work.

You want change? Lead. You hear lots of people saying "we should do X", and it has some merit? Delegate. That's what a leader does. Nobody said you have to do anything. You don't even have to put very much effort into it; delegation is easy. It's trivial to take the task, cut it into manageable pieces, and ask for volunteers/delegate.

If people step forward, they want it done. If nobody does, the idea dies. Either way, you don't come off the way you just did... that is the constructive way to deal with things. Tell me - what exactly do you feel you are accomplishing by standing in the way of the discussion and loudly proclaiming doom and gloom?