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On the contrary. I am very much in favor of people that put in the effort to support the organization around open source. But it should be done by persons that

by jpfr 5y ago

On the contrary. I am very much in favor of people that put in the effort to support the organization around open source. But it should be done by persons that also have insight in the technical work. Otherwise problems of judgment cannot be avoided. That’s the same in every profession by the way. You want to be head of the carpenters guild? Work as a carpenter for some time. Even if it is just carpentry as a hobby. You don’t like it as a hobby? Well, that says a lot already. There is ample organization and leadership skill among the geeks. Look at the site you are on and its background. Many millionaire geeks...

Xylakant 5y ago
> There is ample organization and leadership skill among the geeks. Look at the site you are on and its background. Many millionaire geeks... Are any of those building and maintaining a successful open source project that is not commercially interesting to their company?
- jpfr 5y ago
  Fabrice Bellard Paul Graham Rasmus Lerdorf The world is full of ‘em. You don’t need one of those as the maintainer. They can also just hire somebody to do it for them. But you do need some number of successful geeks in advisory roles to keep the political class on target when the funding is allocated.
  - Xylakant 5y ago
    > You don’t need one of those as the maintainer. They can also just hire somebody to do it for them. And who are they going to hire? Someone with people skills and accounting skills. That doesn’t need to be a tech person.
    - jpfr 5y ago
      Now we are in a decision making role vs support role discussion. “People skills” mostly are detecting the group consensus and running with it. Not the type of leader you need in tech. Geeks are known to fight hard for their independent opinions. Especially when it goes against the group opinion. You need the willingness to do so - if required - from a leader ... so not a pure people person. What is required though is being a good communicator. Most geeks learn that very fast. If properly taught... Accounting can be hired for pretty cheap virtually everywhere on earth.

by jpfr 5y ago

Xylakant 5y ago

> There is ample organization and leadership skill among the geeks. Look at the site you are on and its background. Many millionaire geeks... Are any of those building and maintaining a successful open source project that is not commercially interesting to their company?

jpfr 5y ago
Fabrice Bellard Paul Graham Rasmus Lerdorf The world is full of ‘em. You don’t need one of those as the maintainer. They can also just hire somebody to do it for them. But you do need some number of successful geeks in advisory roles to keep the political class on target when the funding is allocated.
- Xylakant 5y ago
  > You don’t need one of those as the maintainer. They can also just hire somebody to do it for them. And who are they going to hire? Someone with people skills and accounting skills. That doesn’t need to be a tech person.
  - jpfr 5y ago
    Now we are in a decision making role vs support role discussion. “People skills” mostly are detecting the group consensus and running with it. Not the type of leader you need in tech. Geeks are known to fight hard for their independent opinions. Especially when it goes against the group opinion. You need the willingness to do so - if required - from a leader ... so not a pure people person. What is required though is being a good communicator. Most geeks learn that very fast. If properly taught... Accounting can be hired for pretty cheap virtually everywhere on earth.