[Bf-funboard] Next steps!

[Ton Roosendaal]

Hi,

http://www.blender.org/docs/fubo_topics.htm
Matt will continue gathering new ideas and research topics for this  
list, so don't hesitate to post them here.

The next steps involve three topics, which can't be easily done  
sequentially... so we'll drop all three of them in this channel for  
review.

1. TOOLS
For the time being, it's good to stick with what projects.blender.org  
already offers. Having better tools over time is something that can  
always been implemented, but in 2 conditions:
- when there's an actual practical need for it (by most of us)
- when there's someone who takes responsibility  
implementing/maintaining it

We'll try to use the 'Tracker' for feedback and reflect the status of a  
proposal. I'm currently working on improving the layout style of the  
tracker... will prepare an actual sample for review soon. But it at  
least will offer:
- uploading images/html/docs
- posting reviews/reactions
- displaying 'decision' status, 'assigned to' status, 'priority', etc

(bf-blender sample:)
http://projects.blender.org/tracker/?atid=125&group_id=9&func=browse

2. ORGANISATION

2.0 Anyone who's interested in actively reviewing proposals, can apply  
as a Member in the 'bf-funboard' project at the site. This allows some  
moderation features, defined by the project admins. To prevent too much  
'noise' at this project, we'll require endorsement of at least one  
other Member to get in.

2.1 For each proposal that comes in (status 'new') we can do a quick  
pre-selection if this is worth working out. Maybe it's too vague ("add  
physics!) or already proposed, or just a bug report... otherwise it's  
flagged as 'investigate'

2.2 For proposals with 'investigate' status we'll find (at mailing  
list) the person or group who's going to investigate it, and turn it  
into a real & clear proposal. Such proposals should be useful for  
coders to serve as guideline. When a proposal is ready, it can flagged  
so.

2.3 Proposals that are 'ready' will get a final review (mailinglist, or  
tracker). We strive for general consensis on topics. When this is not  
possible, the admins of the bf-funboard and the bf-blender coders  
decide how to proceed.
A proposal then gets flagged 'approved' or 'rejected' or if needed  
'postponed'.

2.4 It doesn't stop here. Now we should get it to the coders, and  
inspire them to work at it. Among the current developers a more  
elaborated organization can be noticed too. They might move on to a  
sort-of 'module owner' organisation, where individuals or teams take  
responsibility of a certain code part. Currently this already happens  
for Python and Character animation. It is *very* important to have a  
close relationship between users and coders. Especially people who've  
written finished proposals should join such a team, and help them out  
where possible: reviewing, testing, making demos.

3. DECISION PROCESS

This is a topic we can't really find a final proposal for. We suggest  
to stick with 'getting consensis' and let the admins decide what to do  
when that is not possible. They then can just decide, or open a poll at  
the forums. If everything fails, I can also act myself and "cut the  
knot"!

Hopefully that'll never happen. The goal of this group is simple:  
"helping out & inspiring the developers to improve the current Blender  
series". Let's make that happen!

-Ton-

------------------------------------------------------------------------ 
--
Ton Roosendaal  Blender Foundation ton@blender.org  
http://www.blender.org