[Foundation-l] How not to manage opensource project

[Ray Saintonge]

David Gerard wrote:

>On 03/09/06, Anthere <Anthere9 at yahoo.com> wrote:
>  
>
>>>Does it mean that the foundation is involved in every little decision?
>>>Of course not, but that is not what "governs" and "manages" means.
>>>      
>>>
>>I think... governing and managing have a significant different sens in
>>english and french.
>>    
>>
>Apart from all else, they're related but different languages. So the
>words "govern" and "manage" may appear to mean the same thing in both
>(adjusting to each other's spelling conventions) but not. So if the
>French readers are reading the words "governing" and "managing" and
>thinking they have the French meaning when they don't, then all they
>need to do is ASSUME BAD FAITH and then we get pages like that one.
>
>Note that errors of translation combine badly with assumption of bad
>faith. Wikimedia has had blowups recently caused by precisely this.
>And I blame the groundless assumptions of bad faith.
>
You miss the point completely.  Even if Anthere, as a very involved and 
very plugged in person, can be convinced that the wording "govern and 
manage" is an innocent variation of what is really intended, she is 
still only one person.  You belittle the problem by relegating it to 
"spelling conventions".  Are you suggesting that all the French who, 
because of the inextricable connection between language and culture, see 
the wording as more sinister than you believe it to be must be assuming 
bad faith?  It puts you an a par with those Englishman who believe that 
the only way you can get the French to understand what you say is to 
speak louder.

Even in a strictly English language context the terms "govern and 
manage" are not as benign as you would have us believe.  Asserting that 
words mean exactly what you intend them to mean may work in Wonderland.  
In a multicultural environment we do better to seek other words which 
reflect our common intent, because each person and each culture has his 
or its own preconceptions about the meaning of a word.

Ec