[Python-Dev] Initial updates to PEP 1 for Steering Council based governance

[Nick Coghlan]

Hi folks,

Brett recently posted about the update to PEP 1 that added the PEP Sponsor role, but folks may not have noticed that we've also made the amendments needed to allow the PEP decision making process to restart: https://github.com/python/peps/pull/896/files

This is the smallest change to PEP 1 that we consider potentially viable: handling all PEPs through the BDFL-Delegate model, with the Steering Council's primary involvement being to appoint the delegates (or accept their volunteering), once a PEP has reached the point of being actively reviewed.

We'll also act as an ongoing consulting resource for anyone that takes on the BD role for a PEP.

We're currently working through the follow-up activity, which is to review the list of Draft PEPs, and work out which ones are at a point where assigning a BDFL-Delegate makes sense.

Cheers,

Nick.

[Victor Stinner]

Hi,

Le lun. 11 mars 2019 à 13:26, Nick Coghlan <ncog...@gmail.com> a écrit :
> This is the smallest change to PEP 1 that we consider potentially viable: handling all PEPs through the BDFL-Delegate model, with the Steering Council's primary involvement being to appoint the delegates (or accept their volunteering), once a PEP has reached the point of being actively reviewed.

Does it mean that very controversial PEPs like PEP 572 would have a
BDFL-delegate as well? The delegate will be the only one taking the
final decision?

Victor
--
Night gathers, and now my watch begins. It shall not end until my death.
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[Brett Cannon]

On Thu, Mar 14, 2019 at 10:02 AM Victor Stinner <vsti...@redhat.com> wrote:

Hi,

Le lun. 11 mars 2019 à 13:26, Nick Coghlan <ncog...@gmail.com> a écrit :
> This is the smallest change to PEP 1 that we consider potentially viable: handling all PEPs through the BDFL-Delegate model, with the Steering Council's primary involvement being to appoint the delegates (or accept their volunteering), once a PEP has reached the point of being actively reviewed.

Does it mean that very controversial PEPs like PEP 572 would have a
BDFL-delegate as well? The delegate will be the only one taking the
final decision?

Probably not. In cases where no clear BDFL Delegate can be identified the SC will probably handle the decision.

[Nick Coghlan]

On Fri, 15 Mar 2019 at 03:01, Victor Stinner <vsti...@redhat.com> wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> Le lun. 11 mars 2019 à 13:26, Nick Coghlan <ncog...@gmail.com> a écrit :
> > This is the smallest change to PEP 1 that we consider potentially viable: handling all PEPs through the BDFL-Delegate model, with the Steering Council's primary involvement being to appoint the delegates (or accept their volunteering), once a PEP has reached the point of being actively reviewed.
>
> Does it mean that very controversial PEPs like PEP 572 would have a
> BDFL-delegate as well? The delegate will be the only one taking the
> final decision?

Steering Council members can be BDFL-Delegates, so for particularly
controversial PEPs, it's most likely that:

1. the BD will be a Steering Council member
2. they'll be serving as a spokesperson for the SC in relation to that
PEP and consulting with the rest of the SC before making any
pronouncements, rather than operating independently

That seems likely to provide clearer communication both inside and
outside the SC than if we leave the responsibility for communicating
the status of affected PEPs to the SC as a whole.

However, we don't think it makes sense to handle *every* PEP that way,
since there's non-trivial overhead in making and communicating
decisions as a 5-person team, rather than as a more autonomous
individual decision maker.

Even when the BD isn't a Steering Council member themselves though,
the intent is for them to rely on the SC members for advice and
support if they feel they need it, as described in this paragraph from
the revised PEP 1:

============
The final authority for PEP approval is the Steering Council. However,
whenever a new PEP is put forward, any core developer that believes
they are suitably experienced to make the final decision on that PEP
may offer to serve as the BDFL-Delegate for that PEP, and they will
then have the authority to approve (or reject) that PEP.
Individuals taking on this responsibility are free to seek additional
guidance from the Steering Council at any time, and are also expected
to take the advice and perspectives of other core developers into
account.
============

Cheers,
Nick.

--
Nick Coghlan | ncog...@gmail.com | Brisbane, Australia