[CentOS-devel] I want to help

[Phil Schaffner]

R P Herrold wrote on 03/29/2011 09:10 AM:
> On Tue, 29 Mar 2011, Marian Marinov wrote:
>
>> Here is the first part of the article( the one that made me
>> ask if I can help): ...
>
> Now please read the thread 'polite request' from last Thursday
> in the list's archive
>
> Then please read the post 'how can we help' on the main
> mailing list the day before
>
> People who wander in after reading a month old article and do
> not 'do the homework' of learning the culture of a project and
> its history before posting are probably not going to be
> particularly productive, and would represent a net expenditure
> of effort to 'bring up to speed'.  This is not the time for
> such efforts, and as indicated by the first post mentioned,
> not the venue, either

Russ,

I cannot understand why someone coming in with an offer of substantial 
help, to provide both hardware and labor, should get this abusive 
response.  I understand that there is overhead to get someone up to 
speed, but the current lateness of 5.6 and 6.0 seems to underscore the 
need for more and better help.  Some guidance about how to get involved 
or even, "Yes we could use help, but are too busy right not to talk 
about it." would be understandable.  Telling a potential contributor in 
essence - "Go away and don't bother us." defies logic and common courtesy.

If this is not the proper venue for volunteers wanting to help with 
resources to be applied to DEVELOPMENT to come to, then what is?  I see 
no relevance of the "polite request" from Karanbir to this situation. 
It was in apparently targeted at some participants in the wandering 
thread "Why not a fusion between CentOS and SL?".  This type of abusive 
treatment of potential contributors is exactly what many users complain 
about on other CentOS venues; the other major complaint being lack of 
information, or misinformation, about timing of the release of critical 
security updates, and to a lesser extent, new releases.

It seems apparent to me that CentOS is badly in need of some fresh blood 
and new approaches to conducting business.  If all comers are to be 
turned away and there is no change in a positive direction, then perhaps 
some of the doomsayers predicting the demise of CentOS are correct.  I 
sincerely hope that is not the case.

Phil