[Foundation] Jabber (tm)

[Iain Shigeoka]

At 07:34 AM 5/22/2001 -0700, you wrote:

>I am unsettled not about the name or the name change, but about the lack of
>leadership that I see here from Jabber.org and for that matter Jabber.com.
>I know this going to get me in trouble, but then I am sorry.  The seperation
>of jabber.org from jabber.com has not been easy. I have only been looking at
>"jabber" for the last 6 months, not a veteran, not a newbie as far looking
>in, but a newbie as a participant.

I'm a newbie myself.  I have been operating under the assumption that most 
of the leadership "problems" are a result of the transition process ( j.o 
---> j.c + j.o) and the fact that Jabber is relatively new and not 
extremely well established yet.  I think (am hoping) that the Foundation is 
going to be a test of the Jabber community's ability to move past this 
phase and become productive again.  A test that we will pass!  :)

 From my experience with open source projects, there is always a small core 
group that does 80-90% of the work.  j.c probably hired most/all of them so 
they are all now embroiled in trying to survive as a business, create this 
foundation, and run j.o.  This has really blown the wind out of the Jabber 
sails for the short term.  For us to move beyond this phase, either the j.c 
crew will have to take up the reins again (something that the foundation 
may provide a good tool for doing) or a new core group will have to form up 
and start leading.  If neither happens of course, things will die a slow 
death that I've seen before on open source projects.  ;(

For us outsiders, the only thing we can do to help is either support the 
current core members, or step in and try and fill the gaps, committing to 
becoming a core member ourselves.  I personally am going to see how the 
Foundation shakes out first, then try and really get involved within that 
new framework...  The Jabber naming thing is one of many issues that I 
think will have to be addressed along the way so it may be a slow 
process.  I am mentally setting a "I hope/want/need it done by" deadline of 
the JabberCon at the end of the summer to evaluate the situation 
again...  Until then, I'm giving my 2cents and watching the dog and pony 
show!  :)

-iain


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