[FFmpeg-devel] Develop FFmpeg through your browser?

[Vittorio Giovara]

On Fri, Nov 8, 2024 at 5:02 PM Thilo Borgmann via ffmpeg-devel <
ffmpeg-devel at ffmpeg.org> wrote:

> > For me, interactive face-to-face discussions around these subjects, even
> > amongst only subsets of the full devgroup, are far superior compared to
> > endless email discussions. I see it as bazaar vs cathedral, where what
> > you're asking for is cathedral-style.
>
> IIUC I disagree. A face-to-face session with a moderator is almost
> cathedral and cut off (i.e. moderated) at any point. Also includes hardly
> any time to think about the topic if not done before and includes quite a
> bit of social- and/or group-effects.
> Whereas a discussion on the ML avoids these drawbacks IMO - you have time
> to think, you can branch off details, caring people group around the
> details in question, you can avoid parts of the discussion you don't care
> about.
>

Hey Thilo, do you know what happened to the discussion about the ffmpeg
booth(s)?


> > I agree this is not how decisions ought to be made, but early-stage
> > discussions like this should be fine.
>
> ML driven discussions include the whole chain of argumentation about every
> aspect for everyone to follow up on - whereas bringing a face-to-face
> discussion to the ML and then iterate on it looses that whole part of the
> discussion.
>

This is false: ML driven discussions often lead to nowhere, especially in
ffmpeg, with a lot of nothingburger and wall of texts that stifle any
prospect of change or resolution.Face to face meetings on the other hand
allow to gather a sense of consensus, and prepare some action points which
then can be further elaborated offline. At most the discussion is
strengthened, not loosened, since it shows transparency and shows that
there is a community interest behind those words.
-- 
Vittorio