[TYPO3-dev] TER troubles again

[Erik Svendsen]

Hello Michelle and all the others,

> Martin Kutschker wrote:
> 
>> But what now? If the original developers cannot maintain typo3.org I
>> think it's time to spend the money. Of course it's sad when nobody
>> steps up to save typo3.org, but it's much too important to wait for a
>> yet unkown hero.
>> 
> I am all for spending money on this project, BUT it will be just a
> waste of money unless we can get dedicated individuals that can give
> us a year or more of time. We not only need developers, but a strong
> project manager that can set a solid infrastructure for them to
> function in. Unfortunately, with such few volunteers, we are prone to
> do things based on smaller projects and tasks, and a quick fix won't
> provide us with any real solution to any of the long-term problems on
> TYPO3.org. It all comes down to finding the right people.
> 
> Michelle

To all of you, Michelle has a solid point here. TYPO3's problem isn't TER2, 
TYPO3.org and so on. They are only symptoms about something else. Kasper 
knows, and so do a lot of other people among the active members. TYPO3 and 
it's community is somehow growing from something a few people could manage, 
to a organization/community who need a more robust structure to cope with 
all the challenges. I will say it's vital to build a rosbust structure with 
people also skilled in other tasks than making TYPO3 websites, extensions 
and other TYPO3 related tasks. Michelle points on project managers, and I 
agree, but you also need an "organization" around to support the teams with 
different resources. An "organization" who also demand something from the 
team. And remember, everything can't be done by volunteers when the "organization" 
grows, sometimes you also have to pay people to do the job. And TYPO3.org 
are the glue in the TYPO3 community (a part of the supporting organisation).

And it comes down to finding the right people. The only problem is, people 
skilled in managing, motivating and supporting team are a scarce resource, 
who mostly earn big money outside the Open Source communities.

My first thoughts when starting to read this thread, was:
* I understand the frustration, because I have had it many times, and not 
only in my two years with TYPO3.
* And my solutions to do something with the frustration would be, give some 
of my time, be a supporting member and maybe even donate some money besides 
that. Because it's give the opportunity to pay people making the glue work.

I also find it necessary to give some respons on other posts in this thread.
* Teams who grow from the bottom, mostly dissolve when times go by. And often 
they dissolve really fast.
* It's a good idea to ask for volunteers to do a specific project, but the 
team has to be supported/managed from the "organization". And the volunteers 
has to commit to the joint goal for the project.
* It's important to find the balance between short time problem solving, 
and focus on long time robust solutions. Michael, you have a good point in 
your proposal about delegation of tasks to solve the most important TYPO3.org 
issues.

And I understand Kasper's responses. Maybe because I firsthand know that 
he is putting a lot of time and thoughts in how to get all parts of TYPO3 
to work better. And it's not an easy task. As someone who has worked the 
last 20 years with trying to and doing large changes in organizations, because 
of changes in the environment, I know how difficult and time consuming it 
is. And the changes in TYPO3 the last year, is somehow comparable with changes 
in organization with hundreds of employes. 

Some word at the end: I think it's okay to rant sometimes, but always try 
to have the following thoughts in your mind:
* Will the rant demotivate people who are important to the TYPO3 community
* Try to make the critism constructive
* Try to give a proposal who is possible to implement

WBR,
Erik Svendsen
www.linnearad.no