[OpenAFS] Foundation Plan redux

[Felix Frank]

>> How long can one obtain
>> as a gatekeeper or board member? Is there a term limit (a desirable
>> thing, IMHO, as it forces an organization to develop new leaders rather
>> than having the same faces in the same places)?
>
> In this case, as with AFS standardisation, I strongly disagree that term 
> limits are desirable. At their worst, they just ensure the retirement of 
> strong post holders, and their replacement with inexperienced ones.
>
> OpenAFS badly needs a way of encouraging new faces, and growing those 
> individuals into positions of responsibility. I don't believe that requiring 
> the abdication of successful leaders after some arbitrary period will help 
> with this. It's kind of like cutting off the head of a random animal in the 
> hope that it will grow a new one - it works in a small number of cases, but 
> the rest of the time you'll end up with a lifeless corpse.

I'm not sure about the accuracy of that simile. The above suggestion doesn't
imply the metaphorical "cutting off" of anything, as experienced leaders
would surely be expected to stay around and fill at least an advisory 
(if not controlling) role.

But then, bearing that in mind, it's unclear to me as well how much good 
term limits could actually do towards the goal of encouraging new people 
to take actual responsibility. But too strict a seperation of 
responsibilities would probably lead to the decapitated body you 
described.

Regards,
Felix