[python-committers] python-committers is dead, long live discuss.python.org

[Guido van Rossum]

Let's say that Łukasz went a little overboard when he told everybody to
abandon the mailing list right now, especially in the light of the upcoming
elections (first we will vote to choose a constitution, then we'll vote
according to the rules set by that constitution on the new leadership).

That said, I am fully in favor of the current experiment where we're trying
to figure out whether Discourse can work for us. I have signed up myself
and it's pretty easy. There were a few moments where I didn't know how to
do certain things, but these were quickly resolved. I recommend everyone at
least give it a try for a few days. And the admins are pretty active right
now so if you ask for help you'll get it almost instantly. Will it work in
the long term? We don't know yet. We'll have to give it a serious try.

But the mailing list isn't dead, and those who don't want to bother with
the Discourse experiment can keep using the list. This will be an extra
burden for those who feel the need to follow every discussion -- but I
think it's worth it to ensure that nobody feels left behind. The people
running the elections, in particular, will have to make sure that important
deadlines and voting instructions are posted to the mailing list (in
addition to Discourse) to ensure that we reach everyone. I will personally
definitely follow both.

A bit off-topic: For something as important as these elections I think we
need to use voting software, rather than relying on +1 and -1 on the list
(or Discourse polls, no matter how cute they are :-), and the voting
software should also send each voter reminders and instructions for
upcoming votes -- but realistically we won't have working email addresses
for some voters, and the list might encourage them to register their email
so they'll be able to vote.

Note that there's no point in demanding that all election-related
discussion happen in the mailing list -- there's always been chatter on
other media such as IRC (which I myself never read), Twitter, and private
email. What's happening here is important enough to non-core-devs that
we'll inevitably also see outsiders debating our future in blogs, on
Facebook and on Twitter. (And, alas, also on Reddit.)

The election organizers will ensure that everyone can be aware of the
elections and where to get info about them. But staying informed as a voter
is work, and if you care about this community, you'll have to do that work.
Getting to know a new online tool isn't going to kill you.

-- 
--Guido van Rossum (python.org/~guido)
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