Open Stack

On Fri, 2013-10-11 at 11:19 -0400, Richard Fontana wrote:
> On Fri, Oct 11, 2013 at 03:56:35PM +0100, Mark McLoughlin wrote:
> > On Fri, 2013-10-11 at 14:42 +0000, Atwood, Mark wrote:
> > 
> > > And finally, for many parts of the OpenStack community, this is our
> > > *job*.  We get paid to do this.  Dialing into a Board meeting and
> > > listening in should be as important in attending as the various
> > > meetings and con calls and all-hands and stand-ups that we do for our
> > > employers.  Where were all the PTLs, the TC members, the couple of
> > > dozen other community engagement folks?
> > 
> > If I wasn't on the board, and if there was a detailed summary of the
> > topics published after the meeting, then I'd read that rather than
> > dialling in just to listen.
> > 
> > I do think it would be worthwhile for people to attend in-person for an
> > hour or two if they happen to be convenient to the venue, but that's
> > more from a "look these are real people, people who care about
> > OpenStack" perspective.
> 
> I've attended part or all of a couple of the board meetings by phone.
> 
> One thing I have found rather puzzling is the orientation towards use
> of webex, though I realize there is a backup traditional dialin. I
> have wondered whether this might have some subtle effect in
> discouraging some to attend the meetings virtually, since the natural
> assumption is that webex is going to provide some fuller experience
> (as otherwise I am not sure why it would be used at all). 
> 
> In the case of one meeting, I struggled without success in trying to
> use webex via two devices I had available and the annoyance of that
> experience almost led me to decide not to then dial in. I dunno,
> perhaps my experience is atypical. What precisely does webex provide
> that a traditional conference call service would not, for purposes of
> OpenStack Foundation board meetings?

I think the main benefit is screen sharing for slides. I've never had it
work, though.

Oh, also the ability to mute everyone but the directors and see the name
of who is talking.

> In the case of one of the in-person board meetings I attended by
> dialing in, it was possible to hear at best 40% or so of what was
> said.

Yeah, dialling in to an in-person meeting is a waste of time.

My suggestion was people attend the in-person meetings in-person if they
happen to be in the area. They're often held the day before the
openstack summit.

Mark.