[Zope-dev] the Zope Framework project

[Gary Poster]

Thank you for the huge effort you expended on this, Martijn.

You are right, with Jim taking a rest from his much-appreciated past  
years as leader, no one is in a position to guide the "Zope" name.  We  
do have community leaders, such as yourself, but they are guiding  
other names at the moment.

By focusing on reinvigorating the name "Zope," I think we have an  
opportunity to move forward.  This can be done loosely but with an  
opportunity for people such as yourself to take leadership.

Zope Foundation members should be encouraged to propose "Zope"-named  
umbrella projects.  Acceptance should be simple and loose--on the  
order of, you send an email to the ZF list to request use of a new  
"Zope" name, and the default answer to ZF members is "yes, unless  
someone challenges it to a vote within four days, with simple majority  
rule in the ZF".  That's a straw man, but hopefully conveys the idea.

For instance and hypothetically, if you tomorrow wanted to start a new  
project called "Zope Rocks" that was to be some substrate of Grok, you  
should be encouraged.

Moreover, if you are willing to step up and declare that you are  
starting something called the "Zope Framework" that manages a known  
good set of code, and you hope other projects and people join in and  
help, that makes sense to me.  With what I've seen on the Grok list,  
you can do a great job as a project leader, generally being positive,  
open, and motivating.

And importantly, it's just a use of the name: "Zope".

Other ZF developers might come along and say "that Martijn character  
knows nothing--come join be on Zope Super Framework Libraries!"  I  
don't think they will, but they could, and would likely be given the  
same opportunity, given the "simple and loose" approach I described.

That said, I suspect the vast majority of people will be appreciative  
of your efforts, and I suspect that you'll be able to marshal  
cooperation among many of the consumers of the current crop of Zope  
libraries.  People that want a leadership position will seek you out  
and help.  Hopefully you can get along.  If not, watch out for the  
competing "Zope Super Framework Libraries," coming soon.

So that's what I would prefer, instead of the elected steering group.   
You want it, you do it.  And Martijn, I hope you do.

And if not, sure, I'll vote for the "steering group," hopefully guided  
by the Plone experience Martin is recounting, just so we have  
*something*.

Gary