On 10/30/2011 04:58 PM, Mark Shuttleworth wrote:
> It doesn't feel good, no. What is missing is a mutual willingness to
> agree to disagree and continue to work together.

So, what are we left with?

You've acknowledged that there is a problem with community engagement,
however it doesn't seem overly serious to you. You see it mostly as a
distraction, a time waste.

As for the causes of the problem, you've put them squarely on a few
community members. You do not think the Ubuntu project is mismanaging
the community. In fact, you are rightfully proud of the effort that has
been done so far to keep the community involved.

Even if the Ubuntu project is not part of the problem, you are still not
interested in doing any more work to alleviate it. You've ignored all
suggestions offered for FAQs, for increased detail in responses, and for
changing the tone of responses.

In summary, this is yet another "won't fix" bug. Community engagement
might not be optimal, you acknowledge, but there's nothing the Unity
team is going to do about it.

As with other closed bugs, I'll move on and keep trusting in you and the
team to deliver the future. It's been terrific so far. And, when a bug
is too serious for me to just move on (the multi-monitor issue, for
example) I'll research a workaround and post it to Ubuntu Forums, like I
always do. I feel a little dirty doing so (my preference is always to
open a formal bug) but I'm happy to do what it takes to help other
Ubuntu users around the pain points that crop up once in a while.

I wish I could be more involved, but I'm already overly extended in mine
and other free software projects, consulting, and university studies. I
can only afford to be an active "outsider" at this point. I know you
dislike the distinction between "inside" and "out," and I do, too, but I
think it's a necessary consequence of this bug that we're all going to
have to live with.

The fact is that many of us do not feel included or valued. Or rather,
it's that we're valued only if we do exactly what would qualify us to
become "insiders." This statement of yours is the essence of this
sentiment:

> I'm just unimpressed by people who grandstand about a particular bug
> when they could be helping to fix others with that energy.

See, some of us think that reporting bugs is actually a very valuable
use of energy. And what you call "grandstanding," some of us would call
advocacy. You've set a bar here to impress you, and it's higher than
what most of us can afford to reach. We can't all join the Unity team,
and I can't believe you would even want that. It would be interesting to
hear from you (perhaps in a blog post?) what you think the role of a
productive, constructive, supportive Ubuntu community would be.

I've read almost every comment the community has posted on these issues,
on forums, blogs and Launchpad, and despite the occasional vitriol, I
have to say that I am quite proud to be a part of it. Even when we feel
that we are outsiders, most of us continue to have a stake in Ubuntu's
success, and do what we can within our time limits and skills to make it
better. You call it "nagging" -- I see it as passion for Ubuntu. Perhaps
even a passion for freedom.

As you recommend, I'm going to stop putting time into this and redirect
my efforts elsewhere. The free software I work on is not directly for
Ubuntu, but it is part of the grand free ecology to which it belongs.
I'm an "outsider," but I think I do good for it.

Thanks, Mark. I really appreciate the personal attention you've given
this bug. We'll agree to disagree, as you say, and I'll stay hoping on
my end that some of the issues we've raised here will stay with you and
have a constructive effect.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/882274

Title:
  Community engagement is broken

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