Open Stack

On 04/23/2015 12:14 PM, Chris Dent wrote:
> 
> This might be a bit presumptuous, but why not give it a try...
Thank you for asking the question, Chris, my response is below.

Anita.
> 
> This cycle's TC elections didn't come with a set of prepackaged
> questions and though the self-nomination messages have included some
> very interesting stuff I think it would be useful to get answers
> from the candidates on at least one topical but open-ended
> question. Maybe other people have additional questions they think
> are important but this one is the one that matters to me and also
> captures the role that I wish the TC filled more strongly. Here's
> the preamble:
> 
> There are lots of different ways to categorize the various
> stakeholders in the OpenStack community, no list is complete. For
> the sake of this question the people I'm concerned with are the
> developers, end-users and operators of OpenStack: the individuals
> who are actively involved with it on a daily basis. I'm intentionally
> leaving out things like "the downstream".
> 
> There are many different ways to define "quality". For the sake of
> this question feel free to use whatever definition you like but take
> it as given that "quality" needs to be improved.
> 
> Here's the question:
> 
> What can and should the TC at large, and you specifically, do to ensure
> quality improves for the developers, end-users and operators of
> OpenStack as a full system, both as a project being developed and a
> product being used?
> 
Question: What can and should the TC at large, and you specifically, do
to ensure quality improves for the developers, end-users and operators
of OpenStack as a full system, both as a project being developed and a
product being used?

Answer: I'll move to my astrological perspective and what I interpret
from OpenStack's birth chart here.

OpenStack has a dynamic energy pattern of three powerful positions, two
of which want to dominate the other and the third which is in the
position to bring balance to the first two. Uranus (the rebel
representing freedom) sits in the position of values with a pioneering
spirit. Saturn representing structure, authority (the tc) and
limitations of physical resources (human limitations and the real
experience of burnout) sits directly opposite, pulling in the other
direction of needing to find common ground, real solutions and to do so
in a careful precise way. These two energies see-saw against each other,
each trying to be the dominate force. Pluto is the balancer here (the
strongly influential recently demoted former planet). It sits in the
exact mid-point between the need for all of us to rebel and the need for
all of us to have structure and be involved in building that structure.
It sits in the position of groups, society and culture. By recognizing
that the TC is one strong force among 3 forces, and ensuring that the TC
play its role, our shared need to rebel and be free will be balanced by
the community norms that come out of that interaction. The TC has a role
to play in that dynamic but it isn't the entire role, nor actually is it
the strongest role, but it is a strong role.

This is my way of saying that the TC and members that serve it need to
recognize the dynamic nature of the relationship it shares with all its
parts. The phrase quality improvement implies for me, a linear
direction, while I feel that the energy dynamic we share is more a
triangular one. If one of the consequences of improvement of quality is
less frustration on any one part of the dynamic it comes from a clearer
appreciation of the other points of view in the dynamic. As a member of
the community (and if the community decides its needs are best served by
me having a voice on the TC) I do my best to look at the situation from
my perspective first (I have to be true to myself here) and then look up
and see what other perspectives are present. I do do my best to make
myself available to hear and interact with other perspectives (chairing
two third party meetings per week, attending infra, tc, neutron, nova as
well as other project meetings as need be) while understanding my
physical limitations at the same time and working to find my own balance.

I realize my invocation of astrology vocabulary might dissuade those who
are uncomfortable with it as a tool. I accept that. I see OpenStack as a
constant dynamic dance we have selected to be a part of and we each have
our role to play.

Thank you for helping me to find mine,
Anita.