The President of AbiSource, Eric W. Sink, says, “So, Eric wants
to step down, and he’s seeking a replacement. His memo offers a
list of qualifications which any would-be leader should read
carefully. In fact, I agree with his list — to be a leader in Open
Source, you’ll need most or all of the attributes he mentions.
However, the list actually looks like a list of his qualifications,
presumably predicated on the notion that the best replacement for
ESR would actually involve human cloning. Insofar as this is true,
and sprinkled with a little humor, I’d like to offer a few
qualifications that I think he missed.”
“Just because ESR has done a great job does not mean that we
want someone just like him. Are the needs of the Open Source
community over the next year the same as they were over the
previous year? Eric’s contributions are strong because he is a
voice, not an echo. Any so-called replacement for him needs the
same attribute, even if his/her voice is carrying a somewhat
different message. If that message is what the community needs,
then people will listen to it, and that person will be a “leader”.
The key issue deals with leadership, not travel schedule.”