On Mon, Sep 04, 2006 at 12:35:20PM -0400, Charles M. Hannum wrote:
> On Mon, Sep 04, 2006 at 01:24:13AM +0200, Peter I. Hansen wrote:
> > Please suggest a way to bring more democracy, and please give
> > suggestions on how to repair the damage that you tell us has been
> > done. 
> 
> Let me be clear on this.  We're talking about an organization that has:
> 
> 1) come into existance through a coup d'etat, primarily by spreading
>    outright lies about the legal status of the Foundation and making
>    fraudulent filings with the State of Delaware.
> 
> 2) repeatedly expanded the scope of its authority by grabbing power
>    where it previously had none, and kicking people out, perverting the
>    entire purpose and intent of the Foundation in the first place.
> 
> 3) paid only lip service to being a "democracy," when in fact the entire
>    process is secret.
> 
> 4) "forced" people to sign Draconian agreements in order to continue
>    contributing to the project.  (Did you read the bit about arbitrarily
>    changing the agreement at any time?)
> 
> 5) failed to promote the project in any significant way, instead
>    allowing the user base to collapse.  (BTW, I have *many* pieces of
>    email from former users and developers agreeing with my original
>    epistle.)
> 
> 6) developed significant architectural changes completely in secret,
>    the very antithesis of the open development process that is espoused.
> 
> 7) decided to allow themselves to disband and take the code that all of
>    us contributed for the benefit of the public into their own personal
>    possession (which is both immoral and illegal).
> 
> This is not something that can just be "repaired."  That's like saying
> you can fix Al Qeada from the inside.  It needs to be burned to the
> ground -- and maybe started over.

I hear you loud and clear, but consider this:

I have no way of telling who is right or wrong here. I can
just tell that something is wrong.

You tell me the project is broken and cannot be repaired.

If something is broken and cannot be repaired, it must be
replaced with something that works.

According to 5) netbsd is not working for you and several other
former users and developers.
Why not fork the project and show the world a better way? I would
support something better than netbsd, just like I would support
something better than Xfree86.

Start something like publicBSD and make transparency a main goal
along with others.

You cannot shut down Al Qaeda by calling Bin Laden an arsehole.
Others have tried that...