Notices by Bradley M. Kuhn (bkuhn@floss.social)

@downey wow, that bug ticket thread re: “private mention” actually *is* in my beloved tradition of “hard to write, then it's hard to use”.
Seems developers have a data model of microblogging & they abstract DM into that data model b/c it has that neat & clean OO feeling you get when every subclass roots (& routes!😁) back to the One True Base Class.
It's mildly comforting to know every generation of programmers wants One Ring to Rule Them All…💍
…But remember how that worked out for Gollum, folks!

Fascinating. I lack Steven Coblert's Tolkien lore recall, but had this head-canon: since Gollum spied on Frodo & Sam so long, Gollum knew everything they did.

OTOH I don't remember if Gandalf told Frodo about the other rings😬

I see now my unforced error was bringing up Gollum at all, as it exposed I score poorly on Tolkien portion of Nerd Credibility test.

But I got a good joke:As a frequent #OpenSource event-goer, I am annoyed most event organizers don't seem to know about Second Breakfast.

I like that all I have to do is mention a few obscure bits of lore and can cause
@richardfontana to go off and research primary sources just to prove me wrong.

This dynamic convinces me it's time to bring back the Fontana/Kuhn debates to a micro blogging platform near you

I think some misread my first post in this thread.
I meant: while it took me a while to learn the platform, UX is smooth (on all clients I have tried, in fact) that my only complaint is “DM is ‘private mention’” thing.
I'm old school & still believe in the pithy adage: “if software was hard to write, it should be hard to use”, so having just one complaint for a large system like this seems like I live in a fantasy land…except the non-meta content then reminds me I live in a hellscape of course😬

Meta: I wasn't on fediverse/Mastodon until the 2025 #OpenSource Initiative Board Elections.

It's been a journey learning this; I haven't used microblogging (I refuse to call it “social media” , but no, I won't correct you for not using the term I prefer) since ye ol' identi.ca & status.net. (@richardfontana pointed out: many people here weren't born yet when he & I used to debate there.)

Mastodon UX is surprisingly good, but, boy “DMs/privmsg is called “private mention”” is darn confusing.

I had no idea that all we needed was @mxmehl to wave the proverbial magic wand 🪄 of Max's mastodon account and command @corbet and company to write an article:

There you go, ask and you shall receive:

https://lwn.net/SubscriberLink/1014603/ac0cfc0a74755501/

Accusing someone rejecting a Code of Conduct is sometimes career-ending for the accused. One should only make such accusations w/ great care & certainty.

I'm terrified now: #OpenSource Initiative's @ed (Executive Director), Stefano Maffulli, so-accused me & @richardfontana earlier today. This accusation is false.

I request a public apology from Stefano personally & @osi organizationally.

(Upthread clarifies facts Maffulli twisted.)

Cc: @pchestek @hackygolucky @fuzzychef
@mccoysmith
@suehle

I wish OSI's @ed would stop lying about the facts:

@richardfontana & I published signed docs showing we agreed to #OpenSource Initiative's Codes of Conduct…
https://ebb.org/docs/Kuhn-signed-board-agreement-OSI.pdf
…Maffulli purposely conflates entire Board Agreement with Codes of Conduct — so his upthread statement is a lie.

@richardfontana & I ran on a platform (in part) to reform just 19 words in the canonical Board Agreement…
https://codeberg.org/OSI-Reform-Platform/platform#item-3-remove-code-of-silence-from-board-member-agreement

We agreed to & abided by all 3 of #OSI''s Codes of Conduct.

#FOSS #FLOSS

@jwildeboer

Incorrect. Both @richardfontana and I signed a Board Agreeement with the #OpenSource Initiative and released our signed copies to the public.
https://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2025/03/19/a-sign-board-agreement.html
@osi proceeded to tamper with the ballots anyway.

Cc:
@larsmb @downey

Stefano Maffuli (ED of OSI),

Your argument supports #OpenSource Initiative's position on why @richardfontana and I were not appointed. It DOES NOT explain why you tampered w/ ballots to remove our names & refuse to report what the electorate recommended.

@osi was always free to to ignore the electorate; we all know #OSI elections are advisory, not binding.

Your refusal to engage in public dialogue w/ your electorate also indicates OSI's abilities in consensus building may be lacking.

Cc @ed

If you're a dues-paying Member of #OpenSource Initiative or represent an Affiliate of #OSI, please get in touch with me via:

* DM on fedi to this account
* email at bkuhn@ebb.org
* XMPP: bkuhn@sfconservancy.org,
* bkuhn on libera.chat IRC
* call/text my mobile number if you happen to have my number.

I would like to discuss what's happened with other concerned parties and make a plan on how we should organize to respond.

ICYMI:
https://floss.social/@bkuhn/114201035037997772

#FreeSoftware #FLOSS #FOSS

@ariadne wrote:
> I was going to try to meet up with
> y'all at FOSDEM

Sadly, I got COVID-19 at #FOSDEM and missed the last day (and my own keynote!).
I noticed you're replying in this thread where I was asking to chat with Affiliate Reps who had questions (since they're my constituents). If you are, I'd like to chat offline in a more in depth conversation.
Also happy to answer your questions here in public if that suits you better, I'm just very longwinded so this format is tough for me!

In the #OpenSource Initiative Board Elections, many are confused about the 2 different “constituencies”. It's like Congressional districts: I'm in the “Affiliate” district & @richardfontana is in the “Member” district.

Each has unique challenges. My challenge is getting attention of very busy #FOSS org leaders to vote. If you have contacts at these orgs, please contact them. Ask them to rank me first & to *not* rank the incumbent, Carlo Piana. It's time for a change.

https://opensource.org/affiliates

I offer my time for BBB chats, phone calls, email exchanges, or public discussion here with any Affiliate organization of the #OpenSource Initiative.

While @richardfontana & I have our Shared Platform…
https://codeberg.org/OSI-Reform-Platform/platform#readme
… we purposely kept it narrow so that we remain flexible to serve needs of our constituents that are unrelated to those urgent issues in our platform.

If you are involved w/ any #OSI Affiliate…
https://opensource.org/affiliates
… I'd be glad to talk with you & hear your concerns.

Thanks @whit537 for rising above political & policy differences on election fairness…
https://discuss.opensource.org/t/osi-s-board-of-directors-in-2025-details-about-the-elections/800/10
… Chad's in “Member” district for #OpenSource Initiative election, so I hope Chad understands when I say: I still think voters should rank @richardfontana first!

It's a political race so I gotta say that, but we can be civil & not divisive about other candidates. I'm still baffled why @carlopiana so quickly “went negative” (right out of the gate, even) in #OSI “Affiliates” election.

@jxself I can't see what you were replying to because the account at-eliasr-at-librem.one was already suspended by the time I saw this.

Waaait…you don't think @carlopiana is using the dirty politics tactic (popularized by Donald Trump) of criticizing opposition w/out naming them (in an effort to generate disingenuous “culpable deniability” about who he really meant)?

Surely Carlo wouldn't be treacherous and seedy as that, would he?

Carlo, could you please explain who you are accusing of “being driven by personal agendas that lack experience, dedication & commitment to collaboration” in @osi elections?

cc: @richardfontana

🤔…seems @carlopiana has de-facto endorsed me& @richardfontana for #OpenSource Initiative Board.

“I support candidates with experience, dedication, and a commitment to collaboration — not those driven by personal agendas or disruptive
motives.” — Carlo https://discuss.opensource.org/t/a-vision-for-osis-future/846

We're indeed candidates w/ experience,dedication & commitment to collaboration. We're not driven by personal agendas or disruptive motives. See https://opensource.org/board-member/bradley-kuhn & https://opensource.org/board-member/richard-fontana & https://codeberg.org/OSI-Reform-Platform

After serious irregularities in Board “elections”, I ask #OpenSource Initiative to either:
* reopen nominations briefly & delay voting deadline
* just end the charade of non-binding “elections” & admit #OSI is governed by a (perfectly respectable) self-perpetuating Board
https://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2025/03/03/osi-board-elections-problems.html
There's no shame in nonprofit w/ self-perpetuating Board & that's what OSI is. “Elections” give appearance of democracy where none exists. Lack of transparency on that is root cause of these problems

#OpenSource Initiative (@osi) Board of Directors Elections plagued w/ irregularities:
1. Miscommunicating nomination deadline
2. Misrepresenting to nominators which seats were available
3. Listing incumbent first in the voter's guide (i.e., not randomly ordering candidates in the list)
4. Telling Affiliate Nominees they need not be Members, then later requiring Membership to participate in voters' forum
5. Failing to list all nominating orgs for Affiliate candidates
See https://ebb.org/bkuhn/blog/2025/03/03/osi-board-elections-problems.html