[FFmpeg-trac] #4002(undetermined:new): reconciliate & merge with libav

[FFmpeg]

#4002: reconciliate & merge with libav
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             Reporter:  calestyo     |                    Owner:
                 Type:  enhancement  |                   Status:  new
             Priority:  wish         |                Component:
              Version:  git-master   |  undetermined
             Keywords:               |               Resolution:
             Blocking:               |               Blocked By:
Analyzed by developer:  0            |  Reproduced by developer:  0
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Comment (by calestyo):

 Well maybe, it would be really best to go for a new name for the whole
 project...libpalantir[0].


 Well I surely don't have enough insight about (any) remaining problems
 with Michael... from what one can read on the web, many things have
 completely changed since the fork... but it's not up to me to decide
 whether something was wrong with him before or not  and/or  whether it is
 changed enough since then or not.

 On the other hand, if a steering committee would take over the ultimate
 control, it shouldn't be any long that big problem, regardless of whether
 he'd be the nicest guy on earth or a jackass.
 I don't like all people I have to do business with in the open source
 world and I'm sure some may also think that I'm the idiot. But usually
 this doesn't keep me from doing stuff and neither them.


 Regarding face2face... all that sounds a bit childish to be honest. I
 agree that close bonds and "seeing" each other can be helpful in projects,
 so perhaps Michael can move here a bit... but OTOH we're in the open
 source world and valuable contributions is usually welcomed even if
 someone wants to remain completely anonymous. So perhaps the libav guys
 have to move a bit as well.
 I mean both seems to be just silly, refusing f2f meetings as well as
 insisting on them - OTOH I don't know the reasons if video conferences
 aren't enough for the libav guys, than maybe Michael doesn't want to pay
 for expensive travels or whatever.

 Anyway in the end compromises will need to be made on both sides and
 likely both sides need a bit of forgiving+forgetting.



 Well first find such a company ^^... I think that will be quite difficult,
 cause companies and distros (which you want to decide in favour of the
 "successor") are probably fed up with the situation and don't want to make
 much further efforts only to see that a merge (possibly) wouldn't work out
 and the teams would split again after a some time.

 To be honest when the fork happened, it looked at first as if libav would
 "win" and all developers that want to continue simply have to move (just
 as you say) - well it looked at least like that from my Debian POV ;-)
 But the recent discussions with Debian about ffmpeg's reintroduction have
 probably shown that distros aren't happy at all about the efforts wasted
 along the fork and the current situation.
 So to me it rather seems that the two projects must reconciliate/merge
 first, and only then distros will follow (once again).


 Regarding voting&decision process, I guess it's quite simple:

 - either you have a single or small group of people who are for whatever
 reasons (perhaps historical or major contributions) in charge, like Linus,
 and things just-work-(more-or-less)™.
 Apparently back then this wasn't the case at ffmpeg.

 - or you have a single or small group of major contributors, which are in
 charge because of their role as major contributors (i.e. a do-ocracy) and
 it doesn't work out (for all people),... this may piss off other
 contributors and lead to a situation as we have now, which everyone seems
 to dislike

 - or one comes up with a more or less democratic system, e.g. something
 that Debian has,... voting systems, technical committee, etc..


 Of course if no side wants to make compromises, share power with the
 others, than things will just remain as they are.
 But I at least had the impressions that people from both sides dislike the
 current situation and wanted to change it.


 [0] Yeah, I only have stupid names *and* I loke Tolkien... unfortunately
 the meaning of Palantír doesn't exactly fit what ffmpeg/libav does ;)

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Ticket URL: <https://trac.ffmpeg.org/ticket/4002#comment:7>
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