Re: [libreoffice-marketing] The Edition Matter

Op 14-10-2020 om 15:52 schreef Marc Paré:
> Hi Telesto,
>
> Thanks for the large reply, of which, from what I gather is that you are
> saying that the definition of "Community" can be viewed from many
> perspectives.

True. And one of those is Commercial Company's sharing a limited version 
under
the label "Community Edition". They obvious example being Visual Studio 
Community Edition.
Not sure how many more examples there are.

The other problem is that's bit of empty shell. Not sure what community 
edition should represent.
What edition part entails. Editions point to difference. A common 
approach is to see community edition as
functional limited edition (look at VS Community).

Also they community is largely, formed by same people who build the 
Enterprise Edition.
The Enterprise Edition is more or less they Community Edition. So they 
edition is actually a LTS variant with some extra's (and professional 
support)
So they core difference isn't they edition, but the support and area for 
deployment (Enterprises environments versus home environments)

Another issue I have is that I don't see a actual (coherent, cohesive, 
harmonic) community. It are lots of lose fractions (decentralized).
They developers are a pretty tight group of people (with few of QA). And 
maybe the key figures at Infra/Marketing/UX.
Lets call it the core family. GSoC students, QA members are simply bunch 
of people scrambled together (maybe the same at Ask)
Coming, going, doing whatever they want. So they community is build out 
of core and number of people floating around.
There are no 'common' values or something like that within the 
community(if you ask me). There a quite a number of vision about what 
LibreOffice by TDF represents.

Everybody has it's own reason for contributing. And even their own 
vision what LibreOffice is :-).
From the perspective of they eco-system partners TDF might be 
intermediary between different contributors (to share code. And an 
giving a testing user base.
Other group of members at TDF sees LibrOffice as independent project, 
with it's own purpose. So TDF board could disagree with eco-system partners.
There is a group who approaches it from FLOSS perspective.  They might 
object against edition and say marketing eco-system partners inside 
FLOSS product.

There is discussion about LibreOffice being a project or product. For 
they eco-systems partners it's certainly also a product (you have to buy 
a license).
They have customers, customer wants a tool. They product delivers they 
tool they want. The code changes also flow into LibreOffice TDF edition.

I - personally - see mission/ purpose (partly) in serving need of users. 
So delivering a (free) market standard open source Office Suite.
From my perspective it's even possible to have QA committee at TDF body 
in an attempt focus more on bugs ruining the user experience. And that 
LibreOffice includes listing to 'the people'
To make LibreOffice a nice product to use.

Not only a 'project' which - say - only developers enjoy.  And TDF - as 
a body - should be able to 'complain' at eco-system partners introducing 
to many new bugs, without carrying enough to solve them.
Currently eco-system partners 'care only about bugs their customers care 
about' so every flaw they introduce but outside that scope while likely 
linger around.
Of course is this a 'simplification' and put harshly. The reality is 
more defuse, multilayered and complex. If somebody introduces QR 
feature, rendered as SVG. And it doesn't export well to DOCX.
Who did it? SVG broken by someone else (or never worked before). Is the 
company supposed to fix that on their budget? Even if this isn't a need 
for the customer who liked they QR feature?
If LibreOffice at TDF simply a pipe for code flow across. No problem. If 
LibreOffice at TDF also stands for quality product, this might tends to 
an issue. And maybe even TDF should (financially contribute)
to solve it? Of should we wait until a customer appears at who needs QR 
codes at DOCX export? This would imply a fresh supply of money, instead 
of consuming TDF or company budget.
And the dilemma's are born :-).
Result is LibreOffice at TDF riddled with bugs waiting for a customer to 
be paid for :-). Instead of eco-system partners investing upfront (and 
asking a higher price for their product; as more feature complete)
They actually can't do that, because the don't get a proper return on 
investment. Because there work is immediately also found in LibreOffice 
at TDF (which can be downloaded for free). And has the same stuff :-(
So TDF has to invest, is in principle possible. Now the problem moves to 
TDF. How can TDF by financial self sufficient over the long term? They 
donations are nice, but likely not enough.

The community appears to be 'working' - being in silent agreement - 
until a topic is on the table which hurts the balance. The cracks in 
burst within the "community" become visible.
It keeps surprising me how people managed to work with this for such a 
long time ;-).

The whole point is nobody has a clue what LibreOffice at TDF exactly 
stands for. So everybody is reading their story into it.
They eco-system partners use TDF as pipe to share code and use 
LibreOffice is a 'testing ground'. To get their product tested until 
proven secure enough for Enterprise environments.
In this vision/model QA is by volunteers is pretty cheap replacement for 
QA done by eco-system partners themselves with paid employees.
They won't say that out loud, duh!

And members would LibreOffice at TDF to rock. However if LibreOffice 
becomes to good, what's the remaining proposition for the eco-system 
partners?
The must compete with a rocking LibreOffice supplied by TDF. So I 
sometimes suspect reason keep it broken. Not saying this actually the 
case! I simply don't know.

> needs to message in a clearer way on the website as to its definition of
> "community", just to make it crystal clear. We all come from different
> cultures, I am Canadian, and in particular French-Canadian, so, my
> interpretation of "community" will be nuanced by my cultural background.
> However, if a clear definition on the TDF and LibreOffice offers a clear
> message of the definition of "community" then it can be treated as our
> reference-guide.
I assume we have the same interpretation of community (except in the 
Western individualistic society) this might differ from expression of 
community in Asia.
Most of us pretty outspoken (and direct about how we see thing). So we 
might less inclined to make sacrifices to for the great good of the 
community.
Hierarchy pretty important in Japan. Disagreeing openly pretty 
disrespectful. This behavior would make  job at BoD at TDF a lot easier.
However maybe wrong decisions are made in Japan (because boss always 
right). Or their more sabotaging going on. But not a cultural expert and 
no real life experiences.
So stereotypes, hear say and such..

The major concern is that I'm missing a coherent, consistent community. 
A unity. Only fractions of people working together as far as the common 
interest goes.
However everybody has it's own agenda, motivation, goals and ambitions.  
I'm doing QA for TDF for fun and in they interest of they users of 
LibreOffice TDF edition.
That they eco-system partners also profiting from it fine.  I prefer not 
to see myself as an unpaid employee; extension of they eco-system 
partners company. In that case I'm feeling used.

I personally prefer more of a focus on user experience/ product 
quality.  Even if this include bugs which less of an concern of they 
eco-system partners (as their customers don't care for whatever reason).
I still assume those would benefit too, except the economic cost/benefit 
ratio doesn't add up in they eco-system partners calculations (which is 
in their right). But I sometimes would like TDF making a stance,
that get it done anyhow. With stick (pushing/demanding) & carrot 
(money). Say TDF being a 'force' of influence. Currently it's slightly 
to cosy integration between TDF and eco-system partners at the top.
Catering the needs of eco-system partners (they eco-system partners 
might disagree ;-). It's my impression.. Could be wrong. And of course, 
eco-system partners are important.
So I see LibreOffice at TDF as a separate entity with it's a separate 
purpose/ values (however I don't have clear picture here)

I also don't have feeling of 'belonging' to the LibreOffice community, 
even being a member and around for a long time. But I'm only a newbie, 
compared with they long term members.
Yes, I do participate and I think I get along pretty well (even being a 
pain in the ass once in a while). But to say their is a shared common 
(aligned) interest..

They community doesn't exist (currently) and/or isn't harmonic ;-). 
Which makes Community Edition bit ironic.  It's a pretty special 
interpretation of community, IMHO
I would use a description with less connotations free: a group of people 
working together on the same project for various reasons and interests. 
FWIW: I'm only single voice, so maybe just me.
Note: I do see marketing presenting/ picturing LibreOffice as a 
community; and that's they formal narrative. It's actually far more 
complicated in reality. This of course my perception.

Cheers,
Telesto


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