This is no technical WTH, but about Structures. It is about the Development of the Community.
It not intended to be a Rant, but rising Questions and Suggestions about the Way Decisions get made.
TL;DR:
I suggest a Conflict of Interest Policy, that makes sure that Decisions that are made, are independent from financial/commercial Interest.
I wish for a transparent Differentiation between We = NabuCasa and We = HomeAssistant Community.
I suggest a transparent Communication who is Part of the Home Assistant’ Community + Deciding Group (what PR gets merged, what Feature gets rejected, what are the Projects’ Milestones,…)
First Things first: I understand that HomeAssistant benefits a lot by the Construct of NabuCasa offering Services and developing Products, and by that having smart and good People to work as a Daytime-Job on HomeAssistant.
Further, i understand and follow the Need for a Group deciding - about short-, mid- and long-term Decisions. As much as i like democractic Decisions, this is not doable for such a big Project. And that might turn out not the Way an individual (me) wished for.
A Thing that is itching me for a longer Time is the potential Conflict between commercial Interests (NabuCasa) and the Community Interests. I got the Impression, that most of the People deciding about HomeAssistants’ Roadmaps, PRs are working for and payed by the Sponsor. And i see Indicators, that the Interests get mixed where they shouldn’t.
One Example: “Help us” and record “OK Nabu”
This recent Blog Post is talking about “We”, “Help us”, “Community driven”. The Logo is “Home Assistant”, it is posted in the Blog and the Forum, suggesting it is a Project by and for the Community.
In Fact, its primary Goal is to improve an upcoming Product by NabuCasa, and the Trigger Word is Nabu. And this is isolated of Course no Problem. But it is not clearly pointed out that is unrelated with the NPO. See above, using “we”, “us”, and the HomeAssistant Logo it suggests beeing a Community Project. And in Case the Community, or their Head, decide to support this Project from their Sponsor, we have a Conflict, if they they are financially dependent on them.
So, i suggest a more Transparent Communication, and a Policy that helps assuring that Decisions are beeing made independent from Commercial Interests.
I think it fits to “Month of WTH” - this is my “What the heck?!” Moment i want to Share. We have other not-technical Posts in this Category as well, and i think it is as important for the whole Project as ‘the next big thing’.
I hope nobody feels personally offended or attacked, as this is really not my Intention.