--- "Charles M. Hannum" <mycroft@MIT.EDU> 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 AQ from the inside.  It needs to
> be burned to the
> ground -- and maybe started over.
> 

Oh, no, this is way over the top.  I understand your
pain but even that is not a an excuse for turning the
conversation into a political circus. I find this kind
of entertainment tasteless. 

Nothing needs to be burned and there are enough
sensible solutions for the problems of NetBSD.
Witch-hunt is not among them.  Issues of immorality
and illegality are beyond my competence and beyond the
purpose of this conversation (as set by yourself in
the first email on the topic). 

It is my opinion that any solution should include
keeping the current Foundation as a contributor to a
larger project. Their current work should not be
underestimated or deranged. I would like to see them
play the role that Red Hat plays in the Linux world.
This would be a good starting point.

Best Regards,
Stefan


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