System update spec proposal

[Mike C. Fletcher]

Ivan Krstić wrote:
> On Jun 26, 2007, at 2:21 PM, Christopher Blizzard wrote:.  Also
>   
>> I would have appreciated it if you had given direct feedback to Alex
>> instead of just dropping your own proposal from space.  It's a crappy
>> thing to do.
>>     
> Let's not make this about approach on a public mailing list, please.
>   
Actually, while I found the response a bit harsh, could I suggest that 
what the project needs is *more* public discussion all around, not 
necessarily about approach, but about half-formed plans, ideas and 
rationale.  Having discussion move offline into some private channel is 
a good way to prevent anyone outside the offices from knowing *why* 
things are happening and having things blow up when the decisions appear 
to "come from on high".

For instance:

    * Whole projects are surfacing after weeks or months of development.
      Papers and implementations are starting and stopping without
      anyone knowing what's going on or, more importantly, knowing *why*
      they have been done.  Witness the immediate counter-proposals to
      Alex's implementation of the point-to-point protocol.
    * "VServer" only appeared in public discussions yesterday or so
      AFAIK, yet it's apparently already the chosen path for doing the
      system compartmentalization.

We need more draft-level discussions, more discussion of plans, 
rationales, ideas and approaches.  The discussions don't need to be 
long, they don't need to be formal and well structured, they just need 
to be sufficient to let people have an idea what they need to write for 
in a few months.  I realise we're on a very tight schedule, but it's 
extremely difficult to help with the project if we don't know what's 
going on inside it.

Assume good will and proper intentions on the part of all people until 
*proven* wrong (repeatedly), and only then assume ignorance of the 
proper path until proved wrong, and only then assume misguidance yet a 
thirst for knowledge until proved wrong.  Even if proved wrong many 
times, attempt to find a way to solve the issue politely and 
respectfully.  We are all working to make a better world, and there 
should be no egos involved if we are doing things right.

Anyway, just my thoughts,
Mike

-- 
________________________________________________
  Mike C. Fletcher
  Designer, VR Plumber, Coder
  http://www.vrplumber.com
  http://blog.vrplumber.com