Richard: So wrong.

Even in disagreement, it's typically expected that board members present a unified front. (If they haven't, it is a matter for the board to deal with, by the way).

Publicising dissent can undermine the collective authority of the board - and encouraging board members for personal opinions is not productive.

Preserving the effectiveness of the board is paramount, and I suggest you make a formal complaint so that we can deal with it, as a board, at the next meeting, but not live and real time.

Thanks - Patrick

-----Original message-----
From: Richard Brown <rbrown@suse.de>
Sent: Tuesday 16th April 2024 11:55
To: project@lists.opensuse.org
Subject: Re: On the efficacy of the openSUSE Board

On 2024-04-16 11:49, Douglas DeMaio wrote:
>> Absolutely nothing has been heard from Douglas (besides wishing 
>> Gertjan
>> well) or Patrick.
>> 
>> The most generous assessment of their involvement in the Board is that
>> they are currently empty chairs.
>> If I was to speculate, based on Gertjan's decision to resign, it would
>> be reasonable to assume that they lean more towards the Simon-side of
>> the debate, making Gertjan's position for strong moderation clearly
>> untenable as a minority opinion.
> 
> Then don't start a thread based on speculation and resort to
> belittlement and name calling. I shared my views with those I felt
> needed to hear it.

The fact you didn't think the community needed to hear your views 
underlines my greater concern.

If the Board isn't operating as a cohesive group (and currently it is 
not) then the community deserves, and requires, to always hear your 
views as an individual.

As I clearly state, I believe the better operating model would be one 
where the Board works as group, makes tough decisions, and supports them 
without every decision becoming a melee where individual Board members 
repeatedly undermine and muddy the waters of what the group decided.

But in the absence of that, currently, I think your silence is 
inexcusable.

Speculation is the only option we voting members have as a result.