ESC meeting minutes: 2024-10-31

[Ilmari Lauhakangas]

On 10.11.2024 19.12, Andreas Mantke wrote:
> Am 10.11.24 um 17:16 schrieb Ilmari Lauhakangas:
>> On 10.11.2024 18.07, Andreas Mantke wrote:
>>> Am 31.10.24 um 19:07 schrieb Thorsten Behrens:
>>>> (...)
>>>> * Feature locking (Andreas)
>>>>    +<https://gerrit.libreoffice.org/c/core/+/174865> "Remove
>>>> blocking functions feature from core"
>>>>    + re-visit from last week - any new views?
>>>>    + Heiko: having a 'freemium' label in the code - is not ideal.
>>>> but more a question
>>>>      of labelling stuff, rather than technically wrong. And not
>>>> affecting the desktop
>>>>      version anyway
>>>>    + Ilmari: but Andreas is not complaining about the label, but
>>>> about the feature
>>>>    + Hossein: perhaps this can be a compile-time option instead?
>>>>    + Michael W.: unclear if that resolves it for Andreas
>>>>    + Ilmari: does not see the point either
>>>>    + Cloph: sees no prob here, either - several other places with
>>>> 'locks' already in
>>>>    + AI thorsten conclude this from the side of the ESC, leave
>>>> comment in the patch
>>>
>>>
>>> after some further thoughts on the process I find it very disturbing
>>> that the ESC made its decision (and discussion) without even looking
>>> at the 'freemiumDenyList' (or its renamed version / file). Because we
>>> are talking about Free Software / FOSS it should be necessary to look
>>> first on the facts/reasons for the blocking/locking function. But
>>> that is only really possible if you know the list of denied features.
>>
>> No, we are talking about *the deployment of FOSS* specifically.
>> Deployers are free to apply whatever freemium restrictions they want.
>> You may personally find it tasteless that LibreOffice now makes this
>> easier, but that is no reason to spend any more time on this and
>> certainly no reason to bring up CoI.
> 
> we (TDF) has to use its resources for the support of FOSS and not the
> support or ease of freemium software / restrictions. That is and would
> be a misuse of financial, personal etc. resources of the charity
> organization, which has to be avoided (if you like that or not).
> Thus it is necessary to review the decision. And the ESC has also to
> take care of CoI issues.

Before your complaints, TDF was not using its resources on this topic. I 
hope you will stop, so we avoid more resources being spent.

Ilmari