On Friday 26 June 2009 17:13:08 Satoru Matsumoto wrote:
Joe 'Zonker' Brockmeier wrote:
On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 6:44 PM, Satoru Matsumoto
wrote: As you may know, ATM, everyone can be an Ambassador, even if he or she has rather biased view, or is offensive to others. :-P
Sometimes it's possible to say objectively "this person is being offensive or harmful," other times it's very subjective. How do you propose screening for ambassadors without putting barriers in place to potential contributors?
We are still bootstrapping and I feel very strongly that putting too many barriers and obstacles in the way of the ambassadors is a sure way to kill enthusiasm.
If the purpose of Ambassador program is just gathering contributers in each region/country/city, it might be enough as it is now. However, if we hope this program will help having representative and responsible persons in each region/country/city, I also think we need some criteria and screening for Ambassadors.
What would the criteria be and who would be doing the screening?
I think it all depends on how we expect Ambassadors to be. As I wrote, "If the purpose of Ambassador program is just gathering contributers in each region/country/city, it might be enough as it is now."
I agree, we should discuss this and define how we like to have the role defined. And I think you as (potential) ambassadors should make up these roles so that you feel confident being an ambassador.
If we think so, 'Ambassador' would be nothing more than a title for the region-associated contributers who do what they can do for promoting openSUSE. If someone says, "I'm an Ambassador in $REGION_OR_COUNTRY.", that means "I live in $REGION_OR_COUNTRY. I will promote openSUSE and be a good contact for users and newbie contributers in $REGION_OR_COUNTRY."
If we can share the concept of Ambassadors' role in the community like this, it's all right. As I wrote in my previous post[1], "I hope as many persons as possible will support this program and sign up, because signing up for this program will be a good entrance for the people who want to contribute in marketing area. Everyone can become an Ambassador, if he/she wants to. That's definitely good."
IMHO it's also that not everybody that does contribute in the marketing area needs to be an ambassador. The reverse is true - if you are an ambassador, I expect to see you engaged in marketing.
[1] http://lists.opensuse.org/archive/opensuse-marketing/2009-05/msg00119.html
However, are we all sharing the concept now ? As far as I can see, some are expecting Ambassadors to be much more representative and responsible, or at least respectable persons. That's because I thought we need some criteria and screening for Ambassadors.
What would the criteria be and who would be doing the screening?
I'd like to bring up my rough draft that I've already posted[2] once again here. Note, this is just a springboard for discussion:
- Everyone who wants to help promoting or introducing openSUSE, or be a contact for newbies in his/her region, country or city can register him/herself as an 'embassy staff' first. There's no need to be approved for this.
- After 1 year activity, each 'embassy staff' gets right to become an Ambassador. In order to become an Ambassador, the 'embassy staff' need to be approved somehow. - approved by senior Ambassador ? # There's no senior Ambassador # ATM, though...
e.g. by two other ambassadors?
- by board members ? - with some endorsements by his/her local community or other embassy staffs ?
We could also start with the existing ambassadors and change the policy later. That way you have the first group of ambassadors - and then you add further ambassadors later.
- Therefore, 'embassy staffs' who want to become Ambassadors are strongly recommended to report their activities by joining marketing team IRC meetings, posting reports to -marketing list, writing blog entries, etc., so that others can easily see their daily activities.
Ambassadors should also report ;)
Things to do for the person who wants to become an Ambassador are quite simple. 1) He/She will do what they can do for promoting openSUSE and helping users and newbie contributers. 2) He/She will report his/her activities somehow. 3) He/She will join the discussions and the meetings as often as possible.
Do you think these would be insurmountable barriers and obstacles for those who want to become an Ambassadors and kill their enthusiasm ?
Please don't forget, I don't mean to strongly recommend to make the criteria and do screening. That might be our alternatives.
I'm not volunteering right now to become an ambassador - but I'm interested in marketing ;). To me this does not sound like a too high barrier. On the other hand, keep in mind that these are subjective definitions. How to measure them? Andreas -- Andreas Jaeger, Director openSUSE, aj@{novell.com,opensuse.org} SUSE LINUX Products GmbH, GF: Markus Rex, HRB 16746 (AG Nürnberg) Maxfeldstr. 5, 90409 Nürnberg, Germany GPG fingerprint = 93A3 365E CE47 B889 DF7F FED1 389A 563C C272 A126