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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 08/09/2014 22:19, R Kent James
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:540E0F40.8040308@caspia.com" type="cite">
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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>
<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>
</blockquote>
++++ because if nobody answers you'll feel nobody agrees.<br>
<br>
Ludo<br>
PS I visited the paris office yesterday for about 30min and checked
our swag stock about 2 boxes of T-shirts one is the beige one with
TB branding about 30 of these in XXL (count is aprox) and the other
is the grey t-shirt from varsaw in different sizes.<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
[:Usul] MOC Team at Mozilla
QA Lead for Thunderbird
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://sietch-tabr.tumblr.com/">http://sietch-tabr.tumblr.com/</a> - <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://weusepgp.info/">http://weusepgp.info/</a></pre>
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