[ripe-chair-discuss] Status of RIPE Chair discussion?

Nick wrote: that email is probably one of the worst communications mechanisms ever devised

I can see why he wrote it and I understand. But I disagree. ;-) Mailing lists in particular allow people to come back with (re)considered responses. Some of the more recent posts have been worthy of the community.

Another nice thing about mailing lists is that you can go back and reread. This I have just done. Well more quickly scanned. And so, taking a very small step back, these are my thoughts:

** this informal group lacks a “chair” and so we have  seemed more involved in “mob writing” - which is one down from “competitive writing”. We need somebody to bring the discussion back on course. I had thought of Hans-Petter. But there may be possible conflicts there. Now we seem to have Daniel and Randy? Scary! ;-)

** There is though clear tension between those who seek more detail, both in the process and in the responsibilities, and those who do not see such a need, indeed who see a certain danger there. I am on the side of less detail. But not to the extremes some have mentioned. I think we need text that everybody can and hopefully will read, understand and be able to refer to. 

Generally we, everybody, worldwide, seem to be getting into the habit of adding words. I was asked recently to comment, and very quickly, on a document of over 125 pages and with its own internal vocabulary. When you get to the point where even words do not mean what the dictionary says then I think there is a problem.

** I think we all agree we need three things.

1) Some way of identifying the “next RIPE chair". Given that that could be Hans-Petter brings constraints. So how do we get there? 

Hans-Petter could obviously announce that he was happy to carry on. And that could be good thing. Other possible candidates may though need encouragement.

The final decision would obviously be taken during a plenary session? But by consensus or by vote? For sentimental reasons(!) I prefer consensus. But I am aware that that often leaves some people feeling outside the process.

As I have mentioned before we already know the next chair. When Rob pointed to Hans-Petter nobody asked, “Hans who?” Any chair of RIPE has to have participated in a number of RIPE meetings. No I will not guess how many. But we are not looking outside the community. I expect that they may have been a WG chair. I would like to think that they will have had experience in actually running a network. Some solid technical grounding would appear essential. As is the ability to work in English?

2) Some definition of what the community expect of a RIPE chair. I like words like tradition, ethics and culture. I don’t know what the Internet will look like 5-10 years out. I guess we will still be talking about IPv6! Similarly I don’t know how RIPE will evolve. But I would hope the choice for RIPE chair will work with the community to get us there in a reasonable state. That will involve integrity on the part of the chair and trust on the part of the community. 

Against this I don’t like the idea of a detailed list of tasks, especially as we have not listed the basics. This is a full-time, part-time or spare-time job? What kind of support should a chair expect, financial and otherwise.

3) Some way for the community to get rid of a chair if they are failing. I don’t think this need be detailed. But we need a mechanism. If the chair loses the trust, respect and confidence of the community, as made clear during plenary, then they should simply step down?

** And we need a time-table. OK. We have all worked on projects and we all know deadlines can slip. But they still help!

So the three deliverables agreed on the list before 75 and confirmed at a 75 plenary? The chair to be confirmed at a 76 plenary?

Would a gentle reset with that time-table in mind be useful?

Anyway welcome back all who left. You did not really leave us now did you!

:-)

Gordon

PS My peach tree, after Budapest, is not doing well. Yes I have a peach tree on my balcony in central Paris. Last year there were several kilos of fruit. I am concerned but optimistic. As for so many things. ;-)