Re: Turning GNU into a bottom-up organization

[Jean Louis]

* Carlos O'Donell <carlos@systemhalted.org> [2019-10-22 10:38]:
> On Tue, Oct 22, 2019 at 10:21 AM Ruben Safir <ruben@mrbrklyn.com> wrote:
> >
> > On 10/22/19 4:31 AM, Mark Wielaard wrote:
> > > That is a different organization model.
> >
> >
> > Yeah, I'm not interested in anything that reduces RMS's influence and
> > control of GNU at this point.  I think he has been abused and I just
> > don't carer anymore.  If you don't like how he does things, I would
> > suggest you find other organizations or project to work on.
> 
> I appreciate your perspective where a single leader handles the entire
> project. Do you have an opinion on how a project continues beyond the
> original leader? Does someone new have to be nominated?

I do not see that as "single leader".

I do not see Dr. Richard Stallman as "leader" at all. I see him as
ultimate servant, a person working in the service of another, who
teaches other people how to work in the service of another.

Numerous people are maintaining GNU software packages and they pretty
much decide how contributions are accepted and what is to be
implemented. Thus the hierarchy already exists. Projects are served
with web hosting, support, money for distribution of software,
promotion, donations, awards, etc.

And there are so many other people who are teaching free software
philosophy in various organizations. They are not in hierarchy, need
not be, but they are all running their programs on free software
philosophy. I am sorry for not naming them at this point. There are
those in South America, in Spain I think, there are Europeans, there
is in India, and there are private companies promoting free software
philosophy. 

That is how leaders shall behave. He has laid out the foundation first
in the free software philosophy, second in the establishment of the
Free Software Foundation.

One flaw that I see is that Free Software Foundation is missing in its
Articles of Incorporation a firm commitment to free software
philosophy, so the FSF depends on its members and management to be
loyal to the free software philosophy.

GNU Project can continue without original leader for as long as its
maintainers stick to free software philosophy as written by
Dr. Richard Stallman.

-- 
Thanks,
Jean Louis