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[python-committers] Transfer of power

Brett Cannon brett at python.org
Sat Jul 14 15:07:12 EDT 2018 
On Sat, 14 Jul 2018 at 00:16 Łukasz Langa <lukasz at langa.pl> wrote:

>
> > On Jul 13, 2018, at 7:54 PM, Tim Peters <tim.peters at gmail.com> wrote:
> >
> > If there are 3 Elders [snip]
>
>
> It looks like the number 3 is popular in this context. What makes it so
> attractive?
>

I think because it's small enough to be manageable and have consistency in
outcomes (which is what I would want if these folks are the design
stewards). IOW it prevents design-by-committee scenarios.


>
> I see a bunch of problems with such a low number, like the ability for a
> single corporation to take over the design process of Python by employing
> just two of the three members (consistently voting over the third one). 3
> also has high likelihood of ties if one of the members abstains. And so on.
>
>
I'm personally not worried about the single corporation issue as we've
basically had that under Guido since the beginning. :) I would also hope
that anyone who ends up in this position is trusted enough to put Python
above any potential pressure from their employer.

While I prefer 3, I can see 5 working. Basically I think the number should
be small enough that you can have a casual conversation with everyone
involved and not feel like it's a committee meeting.


>
> Taking a step back, before we talk names, term limits and even numbers of
> council members, Python needs a "constitution" which will codify what the
> council is and how it functions. Barry calls it PEP 2 but I'd like to
> understand who is supposed to author it and who is supposed to accept it.


> Any committer is in a position to suggest parts of or the entirety of such
> a document. Otherwise we create a fractal problem of who and how decides on
> who shouId be writing it. Ultimately we are volunteers, the ones who step
> up and do the work.


> Ideally Guido would accept the PEP but I'm not sure if he is willing to.
> If that is indeed the case then how should this be done so that the
> document is universally accepted by all committers?
>

In my ideal scenario, people write up PEPs proposing a governance model and
Guido chooses one, making it PEP 2.
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