F15 elections questionnaire/FAmSCo questionnaire

The role of FAmSCo appears to be changing, what do you think FAmSCo's future is?

Larry Cafiero (lcafiero)
This question starts off with an unclear, and probably invalid, assumption that the role of FAmSCo "appears to be changing." Having been an Ambassador since Fedora 9 and a mentor for over a year, I don't see the role of FAmSCo or the Fedora Ambassadors program changing at all.

But what I do see is a bright future for FAmSCo and the Fedora Ambassadors program continuing as it is going now, with an increase in Ambassadors and worthy mentors who bring an increased awareness of Fedora to the general public. Naturally, there will be tweaks along the way to address whatever unforeseen issues arise in the future, but on the whole FAmSCo has always been up to the task and will continue to do so.

I want to echo something I wrote in my statement as a candidate for this position: The Fedora Project's Ambassador program is the standard by which other distros use to promote themselves. Our Ambassadors are the best of any distro or FOSS project, and others projects, like OpenSUSE, clearly recognize this by copying our methods. In large part, both the work of the Ambassadors and the work of FAmSCo have been responsible for this, and I'd like to help maintain that high standard going forward.

Regardless of whether I am elected, I continue to be proud of participating in the Fedora Project, proud of the Ambassadors program, and proud of the work we all do on different facets and levels in the project.

Marcus Moeller - FAmSCo
As ambassadors are the ppl promoting Fedora, their role is very important to the project. FAmSCo should define goals and processes, allowing ambassadors do their work in a best possible way.

Joerg (kital) Simon
Yes, FAmSCo has enhanced since the last years and besides all the "old" proper roles we already stated in our Candidate Statement we can improve and grow by making other Groups inside Fedora aware that there is a ressource and budget management already in FAmSCo together with Comm-Arch, which is in transition right now and we should work together, so all can rely on here in the future. We should strenghten the Ambassador Group as a kind of Fedora-Group-HR and help to recruit the right contributor for the right task by enhancing the liasonship to other groups - as example working on a process where Groups can announce open positions in their team, so Ambassadors can focus on their recruitment. And we should share our achievements of our improved policies and Membership Management.

Do you think it's important to have more people vote in Fedora elections? If so, how would you encourage that?

Joerg (kital) Simon -
Yes! Elections are a right to choose and nothing that should be enforced - elections are the way to change things and not questioning all and everything all the time without having a solution. This should be pointed out more! If people are elected, we gave them our trust and therefore we should trust them in their doing. I do!

Larry Cafiero (lcafiero) -
Yes, it is important to have the community vote in Fedora elections. But first and foremost, it's a matter of personal responsibility for those in the project -- people have to care enough about the direction of the Fedora Project to take the time to vote. Those who take the time to vote and those who take the time to contribute recognize the importance of participation. Those who don't vote and/or participate? I can't speak for them. I'm not sure there's one way to encourage voting other than to make people realize it's in their best interest, and in the best interest of a better Fedora, to vote.

Do you think Fedora should focus on the Desktop? Or someplace else? If so, where?

Joerg (kital) Simon -
A more polished Desktop would bring more users, but i am not so sure also new contributors in Areas where we really need them - if we follow that community Pyramid this could be a way to grow. But as long as we have a good symbiosis with our sponsors and can have benefit on doing things together on a more functional level i love Fedora exactly because i can do things in all areas. So i think focus the desktop only would be a fail.