Improving conflict resolution inside the Xen Project

["Charles-H. Schulz" <charles.schulz@xxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

Following up on the discussions on the use of certain terms and the way to
handle disagreements that ultimately lead to conflicts, I would like to
suggest certain mecanisms to more effectively handle such conflicts. This
does not mean I'm against any informal or formal voting - I think it was the
right thing to do at the right time. But looking forward we need to handle
conflicts resolution in a way that inflicts the minimum possible tension and
paralysis on the code contributions and bug fixing.

This means that we need to move to a model that's already quite common
in other projects, namely, a model where conflicts resolution is dealt with
processes implemented by one of the more or less formal committees chartered
or existing in the community governance.

What this would imply: in the absence of a more complex governance within the
Xen Project I suggest the Advisory Board be put in charge of conflicts
resolution. With a simple process that I (and others hopefully) will clarify
soon, the Advisory Board would within a specific timeframe collect and
analyze the conflict either on its own or called upon by one or more
community members. It could effectively talk in more detail and off lists to
the relevant persons and then suggest a way out of the conflict.

Ideally - it's Monday and Christmas is not far so let's dream a bit -  this
would lift the burden of the conflict management away from the development
list and allow it to be focused on development. The Advisory Board should in
these cases work in harmony with the informally proposed Technical Advisoy
Board in order to ensure its decisions are not just the consensus of its own
members but are well understood throughout the project.

Hope this helps,
-- 
Charles-H. Schulz
Vates SAS.

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