I'll be posting the responses to the 3 community questions here in this thread instead of my blog.

Andrew Flegg (Jaffa):

1. In your opinion, what should happen to Maemo.org after the merge?

This will depend on how realistic MeeGo is for day-to-day usage for
N900 and N8x0 users. If a MeeGo derivative can be used by normal
end-users, maemo.org doesn't need to continue with a large community:
everyone can run MeeGo and get the benefit of the high-quality
applications that both Nokia and Intel expect.

However, if Maemo 5 or Harmattan is the last realistic operating
system for the N900, and Maemo 4 (or Mer^2) for the N8x0, the existing
community should continue. Forums, downloads, Extras, bug tracking and
garage are all features in day-to-day use. These resources aren't
free, though; currently Nokia pay for them and their interest will
move increasingly to MeeGo. We will have to ensure that there are
plans in place to continue these services if necessary.


2. Do you agree with the Extras QA process ? In your opinion, we
should lower, raise or maintain the current entry barrier for extras ?

I agree that there needs to be a barrier to entry to Extras,
especially since it is now enabled out-of-the-box. The existing
process is sub-optimal, and response times to enact changes haven't
been as swift as would be liked.

However, the Testing Squad is an excellent idea to ensure "no app is
left behind" and there are continual improvements to the user
interface. However, I think there is still scope for further
improvements: fast tracking bug fix releases (such as lower vote
requirement, and shorter quarantine time); improved user interface for
the web-based QA queue; clarification of process for fast-tracking
security fixes and removing packages from Extras and ensuring that the
process is as easy as possible by fixing bugs which mean users get
logged out of maemo.org when moving between computers/not using the
system for a few days.


3. As a new comer here I have sensed a culture clash. It seems the
history of Maemo was largely a hangout for those well skilled in Linux
and there was an assumption of what was understood and more
importantly how the “community” worked. Now with the N900 there is the
introduction of those, like me, who are not experts at Linux and do
not have a long history of working in the “community” environment.
Things like voting for what bugs to fix first, are totally foreign
concepts. And yes, there will be some questions that make your eyes
roll to the back of your head because many of us lack the skills you
have. As this will likely get worse over time as more devices are
introduced and the customer base grows, what would you change to
facilitate a smoother and more productive co-existence?

I understand the concern, however I don't think this culture clash is
new! There have always been people complaining about maemo.org being
too technical, or maemo.org catering to newbies too much; and each new
device has brought new people in to the community. The dynamic nature
of this community is what keeps it fresh and interesting: we will know
the platform is dead when it's just the same dozen people talking
about the same things over and over again!

The first point of call for a lot of new users will be
maemo.org/downloads/ and so this should be made as user-friendly as
possible; from there users will often get experience of Bugzilla,
Extras-testing and the QA process or Talk. When transitioning from an
end-user to a contributor (and anyone posting to Bugzilla,
Extras-testing or Talk *is* a contributor), we need to ensure that
shift is as seamless as possible. For example, regularly reviewing the
top-level pages of maemo.org and the stickies on talk.maemo.org.

However, this isn't something the council has to drive: any community
member can make suggestions and the good ones will get picked up. The
council can help push ideas if someone's voice is lost in the
cacophony, but it's not necessary (or desirable!) to have the council
come up with all the ideas. Indeed, most candidates have forgotten
what it was like in those initial transitions. We are fortunate that
so many new contributors are willing to suggest and collaborate on
ways of making the barrier-to-entry of the community lower.