Re: [Fsfe-uk] RFC: Free software project grants

[Alex Hudson]

On Wed, 2003-10-22 at 18:03, Ralph Corderoy wrote:
> I agree weighing up someone's answer to `what my track record is?' is
> subjective, but the question should still be asked.
> 
> If it was my money, I'd give it to someone who I thought, or better
> still, knew from previous visibility, could deliver want they were
> proposing at a high quality.

Well, there would be certain things - things where you're judging
someone negatively - where I would hope the default assumption is that
you're basically a good egg. That is, I don't think you should have to
prove a glittering track record, but that this criteria should be in
there to prevent giving money to known wasters. The track record
shouldn't have a disproportionate effect on the weighting of how 'good'
a project is.

It's not that I have a problem with subjective questions - in fact, most
of them are going to be subjective - but that I would clearly separate
those things which are put in place to block people from getting money
(i.e., are you competent?) from those which choose between which project
should get money. Two different tasks in my eyes: basically, if you
weren't sound you wouldn't stand a chance. Everything else would be
positive rating whose total would be what you might be judged on. So, if
you were slightly deranged a rating of (-2, person is unstable) wouldn't
be outweighed by (+10, fantastic coder on Thursdays).

> Given the applicants might not be known to many, something about their
> track record allowing others to research them further, would be welcome.

I guess I more or less agree with that. I certainly agree with the point
that we shouldn't weight towards people well-known in the community
necessarily; although that is always going to be an advantage. Also, we
need to recognise that whoever decides at the end of the day is going to
be biased in whatever direction they see the world - any way we can try
to unbias that (e.g., maybe have anonymous bids?) is a good idea.

Cheers,

Alex.