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++++ my full support to rkent's analysis below, general directions
(product governance, funding, etc.) and action plans, from me as one
of TB's key bug triagers and key UX contributors [1].<br>
<br>
After years if not decades of systematic neglect, poor marketing,
lack of direction and underfunding/under-staffing with disastrous
consequences for product quality and potential market acceptance,
it's refreshing and inspiring to see such drive and determination
paired with leadership qualities that balance focused direction and
hands-on effectiveness with a cooperative approach. Big respect and
appreciation to R Kent James. I agree with virtually all of his
inputs on this platform. Along those lines, imagine where TB could
be if we'd actually address the backlog of neglection and fix bugs
and RFE's in a systematic and sufficient way - TB is a powerful
product with a great market potential that imho is largely untapped
- many people don't even know about the powerful comfort of ad-free
desktop email, and the product is nowhere near as good as it *could*
be...<br>
<br>
For more details of my own analysis of TB history and status quo,
concurring with rkent's but perhaps from a different, more
QA/UX-centered angle, see my post to tb-planning dated 19.11.2013
13:07, Re: Proposal for donation link in Thunderbird 31, Message-ID:
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:528B5480.9050302@duellmann24.net"><528B5480.9050302@duellmann24.net></a>.<br>
I'll add one more comment in rkent's message below.<br>
<br>
Much looking forward to meeting the whole team personally in
Toronto.<br>
<br>
Thomas (aka Thomas D.)<br>
<br>
[1]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/user_profile?login=bugzilla2007%40duellmann24.net">https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/user_profile?login=bugzilla2007%40duellmann24.net</a><br>
<br>
On 08.09.2014 22:19, R Kent James wrote:<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:540E0F40.8040308@caspia.com" type="cite"> I'd
like to see if we can reach consensus on the general outline of a
reorganization plan for Thunderbird. I hope it is clear to anyone
that has been observing our efforts recently that there are issues
with our current direction. Some symptoms:<br>
<br>
1) The decision to confirm that we could spend Thunderbird income
on a gathering of contributors, as promised to the community at
the last reorganization, required intervention from the highest
levels of Mozilla.<br>
<br>
2) Thunderbird 31 released with very few new features.<br>
</blockquote>
...and (more importantly), released with literally thousands of
age-old bugs and ignored RFEs. Among the bugs, 250+ dataloss and
privacy bugs [2]. Total number of open bugs and RFEs on record for
TB and MailNews Core, including unconfirmed: 11500 [3]. I'd
certainly give preference to fixing bugs over adding new features.<br>
<blockquote cite="mid:540E0F40.8040308@caspia.com" type="cite"> <br>
3) comm-central has been closed now for about six weeks due to
various breakages. This is really bad for engaging contributors,
as well as slows down development. Collapse of Thunderbird as a
product will start with long periods of time where we are
unbuildable, so this is the first hints of collapse.<br>
<br>
4) We have been unsuccessful so far at negotiating a resolution to
the issues of repository structure that are needed for reducing
our sensitivity to changes in the build system.<br>
<br>
5) The process to confirm that we can publicly release information
on our growing daily user count (which we sorely need to counter
market perception that Thunderbird is dying) has taken over a year
and is still not complete (though all indications are that we will
have that approval soon).<br>
<br>
6) The last entry on the Thunderbird blog was about one year ago,
on September 13, 2013. Other aspects of public communication, such
as release notes for Thunderbird 31, have also been inadequate
recently.<br>
<br>
At the same time, our user base is growing, and we have a strong
core team with good internal dynamics. Our product is strong, and
we are part of a proud brand and organization. We have everything
that we need to be successful, we just need to get behind a plan
and execute.<br>
<br>
I'm going to post the minimal outline of what I think is needed in
a separate communication, as I don't want to clutter that with the
long list of problems that I have presented here. That
communication will lay out key features of the reorganization
plan, without too many details. I hope that we can reach a general
consensus on the minimum plan in that document, and proceed to
implement any negotiations that are needed to move it forward.
Details are purposely omitted to try to get a list of the bare
essentials of what we need to agree to.<br>
<br>
One reason that we need to do this now, rather than wait for the
Summit, is that we hope to take the opportunity at the Summit to
prepare a marketing video that would be a key part of the strategy
moving forward. So we need to agree on pieces of the plan,
particularly the piece about approaching our users directly for
funding, so that we can do the video as part of the Summit.<br>
<br>
In the absence of a working governance model, one way that we can
proceed with a reorganization is to have stakeholders add their
name to a plan as a co-sponsor. What I will suggest is that I
present my document, we have some discussions, and then I will
modify the plan incorporating the input. Those who support the
plan will be listed as co-sponsors. When you read the plan and
comment, consider that you will be asked to be a co-sponsor of
whatever we agree to.<br>
<br>
If in the end you cannot agree to the plan after discussion, then
I would strongly encourage you to offer an alternate plan. The
plan that I present may not be the perfect plan, or the only
possible plan, but we need SOME plan. If not mine, please present
your own. Or state clearly why you think that the status quo is
working fine.<br>
<br>
Actual summary plan to follow.<br>
<br>
-- <br>
<div class="moz-signature">
<table style="width: 100%;" border="0" hspace="10" vspace="10">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td> <br>
</td>
<td> R. Kent James<br>
Personal: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:kent@caspia.com">kent@caspia.com</a><br>
Business: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated"
href="mailto:rkent@mesquilla.com">rkent@mesquilla.com</a><br>
</td>
<td> Web: <a moz-do-not-send="true"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="http://mesquilla.com">http://mesquilla.com</a><br>
Twitter: @rkentjames<br>
Mozilla IRC: :rkent </td>
</tr>
</tbody>
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<br>
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<br>
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<pre wrap="">_______________________________________________
tb-planning mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:tb-planning@mozilla.org">tb-planning@mozilla.org</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://mail.mozilla.org/listinfo/tb-planning">https://mail.mozilla.org/listinfo/tb-planning</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
[1]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/user_profile?login=bugzilla2007%40duellmann24.net">https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/user_profile?login=bugzilla2007%40duellmann24.net</a><br>
[2]
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=product%3AThunderbird%2C%22mailnews%20core%22%20keyword%3Adataloss&list_id=11144968">https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?quicksearch=product%3AThunderbird%2C%22mailnews%20core%22%20keyword%3Adataloss&list_id=11144968</a><br>
[3] TB & MailNews Core Bugs & RFEs (11500 bugs, capped at
10000 which is bugzilla's list display limit) <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext"
href="https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=UNCONFIRMED&bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&field0-0-0=product&field0-0-1=product&list_id=8620578&query_format=advanced&type0-0-0=substring&type0-0-1=substring&value0-0-0=Thunderbird&value0-0-1=MailNews&order=bug_id%2Cbug_id&limit=0">https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/buglist.cgi?bug_status=UNCONFIRMED&bug_status=NEW&bug_status=ASSIGNED&bug_status=REOPENED&field0-0-0=product&field0-0-1=product&list_id=8620578&query_format=advanced&type0-0-0=substring&type0-0-1=substring&value0-0-0=Thunderbird&value0-0-1=MailNews&order=bug_id%2Cbug_id&limit=0</a>
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