Decision panels/SOAS/Report

This is a draft, and not a final report.

Introduction
This constitutes the report of the SoaS decision panel (DP), convened by SLOB.

The structure of this report is:


 * 1) Introduction (this section)
 * 2) Executive Summary
 * 3) Mandate
 * 4) Members
 * 5) Report on Questions 1-3
 * 6) Conclusion
 * 7) Appendices

Executive Summary
The Decision Panel was mandated to answer three questions. The Decision Panel's answers are below:


 * Question 1: "Should Sugar Labs be a GNU/Linux distributor, rather than just an upstream producing Sugar releases?"
 * Answer: Consensus trending towards yes.  There has been some discussion about what is involved in 'being a GNU/Linux distributor' and what the risks and benefits would be; specifics have been suggested but not clearly enumerated, making consensus building harder. TBD - see below for opinions


 * Question 2: "Should SL be neutral about distributions containing Sugar, and refuse to endorse one over another?"
 * Answer: Consensus is yes.  There are requests for clarification of how SL can promote effective ways of distributing Sugar, and endorse all good distributions.  TBD - see below for opinions


 * Question 3: "Should 'Sugar on a Stick' be a phrase that SL asks its community to avoid using unless they refer to the SoaS-Fedora distribution?"
 * Answer: A plurality of people with definite opinions say yes, SL should ask its community to avoid using 'Sugar on a Stick' in a confusing way.  There is consensus that whatever name is used for common distributions should not be used in a confusing way, but disagreement over whether SOAS should refer to a specific distribution or a broad class of them.   TBD - see below for opinions

In addition, the mandate allows the Decision Panel to raise and answer any other question the DP deems required to provide an answer to the original question: "Is the current SoaS going to be the primary way Sugar Labs distributes a Sugar-centric GNU/Linux distribution?" (Question 0).

The Decision Panel has not raised any additional questions, outside of requesting clarification of terms in questions 2 and 3.

Members

 * Sebastian Dziallas
 * Luke Faraone
 * Martin Dengler
 * Bill Bogstad
 * Faisal Khan
 * Benjamin M. Schwartz
 * Samuel Klein
 * Sean Daly
 * Tabitha Roder
 * Caryl Bigenho
 * Daniel Drake
 * Abhishek Indoria

Q1: OS distributor v. upstream
Question 1: "Should Sugar Labs be a GNU/Linux distributor, rather than just an upstream producing Sugar releases?"

Proposed answers:

Q2: distro endorsement v. neutrality
Question 2: "Should SL be neutral about distributions containing Sugar, and refuse to endorse one over another?"

Proposed answers:

Q3: SoaS name
Question 3: "Should 'Sugar on a Stick' be a phrase that SL asks its community to avoid using unless they refer to the SoaS-Fedora distribution?"

Proposed answers:

DP Conclusion
to come

Recorded opinions
{| border="1" style="border-collapse:collapse;" cellspacing=2 cellpadding=2
 * colspan=5|
 * colspan=5|

Question 1
"Should Sugar Labs be a GNU/Linux distributor, rather than just an upstream producing Sugar releases?" !width="30%"| Yes !width="20%"| No !width="20%"| Invalid !width="15%"| Defer ! Undecided | Samuel Klein Faisal Khan, Daniel Drake
 * valign="top"|
 * 1) Sean Daly
 * 2) Bill Bogstead
 * 3) Abhishek Indoria
 * 4) Luke Faraone
 * 5) Sebastian Dziallas
 * 6) Benjamin M. Schwartz
 * valign="top"|
 * 1) Martin Dengler
 * 2) Tabitha Roder
 * 3) Caryl Bigenho
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|


 * colspan=5|
 * colspan=5|

Question 2
"Should SL be neutral about distributions containing Sugar, and refuse to endorse one over another?" !width="30%" | Yes !width="20%" | No !width="20%" | Invalid !width="15%" | Defer ! Undecided Samuel Klein - SL should support effective distros; this can be done neutrally. Bill Bogstad, Faisal Khan, Daniel Drake
 * valign="top"|
 * 1) Martin Dengler
 * 2) Tabitha Roder
 * 3) Caryl Bigenho
 * 4) Luke Faraone
 * 5) Sebastian Dziallas
 * 6) Benjamin M. Schwartz - SL should make specific, not blanket endorsements
 * 7) Sean Daly - SL should make only context-specific endorsements
 * valign="top"|
 * 1) Abhishek Indoria
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|


 * colspan=5|
 * colspan=5|

Question 3
"Should 'Sugar on a Stick' be a phrase that SL asks its community to avoid using unless they refer to the SoaS-Fedora distribution?" !width="30%"| Yes !width="20%"| No !width="20%"| Invalid !width="15%"| Defer ! Undecided Samuel Klein - The question is too specific. I agree with both Ben and Sean, who feel they fall on 'Yes' and 'No' sides of the fence. Bill Bogstad, Faisal Khan, Daniel Drake
 * valign="top"|
 * 1) Sean Daly SL should reserve the right to determine which distro to associate with SOAS, today Fedora, but possibly another later.
 * 2) Abhishek Indoria
 * 3) Tabitha Roder
 * 4) Luke Faraone
 * 5) Sebastian Dziallas
 * valign="top"|
 * 1) Martin Dengler
 * 2) Caryl Bigenho
 * 3) Benjamin M. Schwartz - use a more specific name
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|
 * valign="top"|


 * }