Fedora Working Groups: Call for Self-Nominations
Introduction
Based on discussions at and around Flock, the Fedora Project Board has approved a proposal for a big change in the way we put Fedora together. Rather than presenting one Fedora with multiple slightly-different install options, future Fedora will be designed, developed, and promoted as three separate products built around a common core.
To take that idea from talk to reality, we're making a corresponding change to Fedora leadership. Each product will be guided by a Working Group, which will function as an independent subcommittee of FESCo, (the Fedora Engineering Steering Committee). FESCo will resolve issues which impact multiple working groups, and the Fedora Board will continue to set overall strategic direction, but the working groups will be largely autonomous within their own areas.
The Groups
We are creating a group for each of the three initial products the Board has approved:
- Fedora Workstation
- Fedora Server
- Fedora Cloud
The Board asks that the Working Groups determine their own target audience definition and product description as a first task; the names aren't set in stone.
We're also creating groups to focus on the common core, and to work on policies and practices for software operating outside of Fedora's traditional packaging model, alongside the existing (and continuing) Fedora Packaging Committee.
- Base Design Working Group
- Environments & Software Stacks Working Group
Composition
The working groups' initial membership will be chosen by FESCo from volunteers. This message is the request for those volunteers to self-nominate.
Each group will have at least one FESCo member, who will act as a liaison to FESCo and as a representative of the group at FESCo meetings.
We would like each group to also have representation from other major areas of Fedora - Quality Assurance, Infrastructure, Release Engineering, Documentation, Design, Websites, Ambassadors, Feature Wrangler, Marketing. We don't intend for this to be additional work to current members of those teams; working group members should interact with and augment the existing subprojects.
What's Expected
These working groups will be more formal than the existing SIGs, with a documented governing structure and process of operation, voting members, up-to-date and maintained project materials, and regular open communication. All working group members will need to actively participate.
The first responsibility will be to establish a governance charter, followed by a product requirements document. We're obviously in the middle of Fedora 20 development, and that's the priority for many of us right now. For that reason, these deliverables won't be required until after the F20 release, but we do want to start organizing as soon as possible.
Interlude: Interested in Something Else?
Are the projects listed above not your interest? That's fine; you can keep on working the way you are now. Or, perhaps you're interested in a target product, but something different from the ones described above. In that case, you may start a "secondary product" working group following the same model; if that is successful the Fedora Board may elect to promote that product to a primary target.
How to Self-Nominate
To volunteer to serve on one of the new Fedora working groups, simply add yourself to the appropriate section in the wiki page below, along with a brief description of your current involvement with Fedora and plans for participation in this group.
Next Steps
The nomination period will be at least one month from this announcement. FESCo will review the applications, appoint the initial members, and assist with the development of each group's independent governance.