Forum .LRN Q&A: Response to Request for Comment: dotLRN Technology Governance

Ben's implication that the MIT plan would subordinate developers to "committees" is based on a misinterpretation and misreading. We state that the "Executive Board delegates decision-making authority for the technical direction of the kernel and applet development to the gatekeepers, developers, and the Technical Advisory Board."

The model parallels Apache governance: "the Board retains ultimate responsibility for the foundation, it delegates decision-making authority for the technical direction of projects to the Project Management Committees."

This delegation is essential if there is to be technical innovation. TAB will not be "imposed" as an alien entity by the Executive Board, but consist of recognized experts and leaders in the OpenACS community.