[Python-Dev] PSA (Was: FAQ Horribly Out Of Date)

[Guido van Rossum]

> > It appears that CNRI can only think about one thing at a time <0.5
> > wink>.  For the last 6 months, that thing has been the license.  If
> > they ever resolve the GPL compatibility issue, maybe they can be
> > persuaded to think about the PSA.  In the meantime, I'd suggest you
> > not renew <ahem>.
> 
> I think we need to find a better answer than that, and soon. While
> everybody reading this list probably knows not to renew, the PSA is
> the first thing that you see when selecting "Python Community" on
> python.org. The first paragraph reads
> 
> # The continued, free existence of Python is promoted by the
> # contributed efforts of many people. The Python Software Activity
> # (PSA) supports those efforts by helping to coordinate them. The PSA
> # operates web, ftp, and email services, organizes conferences, and
> # engages in other activities that benefit the Python user
> # community. In order to continue, the PSA needs the membership of
> # people who value Python.
> 
> If you look at the current members list
> (http://www.python.org/psa/Members.html), it appears that many
> long-time members indeed have not renewed. This page was last updated
> Nov 14 - so it appears that CNRI is still processing applications when
> they come. It may well be that many of the newer members ask
> themselves by now what happened to their money; it might not be easy
> to get an answer to that question. However, there is clearly somebody
> to blame here: The Python Community.

I don't know how many memberships CNRI has received, but it can't be
many, since we sent out no reminders.  I'll see if I can get an
answer.

> So I'd like to request that somebody with write permissions to these
> pages changes the text, to something along the lines of replacing the
> first paragraph with
> 
> # The Python community organizes itself in different ways; people
> # interested in discussing development of and with Python usually
> # participate in <a href="MailingLists.html">mailing lists</a>.
> #
> # <p>Organizations that wish to influence further directions of the
> # Python language may join the <a href="/consortium">Python
> # Consortium</a>.
> #
> # <p>The <a href="http://www.cnri.reston.va.us/">Corporation for
> # National Research Initiatives</a> hosts the Python Software
> # Activity, which is described below. The PSA used to provide funding
> # for the Python development; that is no longer the case.
> 
> If there is a factual error in this text, please let me
> know.

I've done something slightly different -- see
http://www.python.org/psa/.  I've kept only your first paragraph, and
inserted a boldface note before that about the obsolescence (or
deprecation :-) of the PSA membership.

I've removed the references to the consortium, since that's also about
to collapse under its own inactivity; instead, the PSF will be formed,
independent from CNRI, to hold the IP rights (insofar they can be
assigned to the PSF) and for not much else.

I'll see if I can get some more news about the creation of the PSF
(which is supposed to be an initiative of ActiveState and Digital
Creations).

--Guido van Rossum (home page: http://www.python.org/~guido/)