| RE: [eclipse-incubator-e4-dev] Eclipse Leadership (was "E4: shouldn't we define the goals first?") |
Mike Milinkovich wrote on 05/03/2008 10:40:58 AM:
> Re: “Who is responsible at Eclipse.org for the "big picture"? The
> team that is ensuring that the Eclipse SDK + WTP + TPTP (+ all the
> other pieces that are required) really is a credible competitor for
> NetBeans or IDEA or whatever else is a threat to some parts (or all)
> of our community?”
>
> That is a good question indeed, but one easily answered: no one is
> responsible. And to be clear, it is explicitly not the role of the
> staff of the Eclipse Foundation to take that role.
>
I agree completely, Mike, and I apologize for the confusion if you thought the finger was being pointed at you. :-) My point was simply that the the question isn't currently being addressed.
> My impression is that there was an assumption early in the creation
> of the Foundation that the Architecture Council would fulfill this
> role[1].
>
That does seem like the right level of body, so let me tell you my *personal* problems with taking on that role:
1) It's hard. No, seriously. The Arch Council may be "well positioned", but it is made up of individuals who in addition to having day jobs and responsibilities to their specific projects [sometimes the same role], are also making the time to understand the larger issues. We're quite diverse (good), but that means it takes a lot of energy move in a particular direction. That kind of energy is definitely doable, but it's a full time job, and until we (the Eclipse community) start funding the role, it's not going to happen.
2) As someone who works for a company that makes commercial products, it's actually difficult for me to do the kinds of analysis that this would take without getting my legal department involved. I'd just rather not risk the potential for it to end up putting more constraints on my ability to do my own work.
McQ.