Ahh…I love a good debate. It’s kinda funny how I hadn’t really spoken up much on the Members list before now, but now that I have, jeez, he won’t shutup! I was talking to my wife about that tonight. Most times the talk on JDEV or JSF-Members is too low-level code detail for me to really get involved, since I am not a developer. But this stuff about fairness (equality) versus merit [1], now THAT is something of which I have some very well-formed and pasisonate opinions. (Which is painfully obvious to some by now.)

Here are some quick slingshot points before I go to bed:

* Nolan found Rachel’s post last year about certification, it’s here.
* Ralph, it was just a joke, I swear! I totally knew where Nolan was coming from on the “Secret Council” thing. He never thought for a minute that there was a conspiracy, only that it’s time that you guys chip into what is becoming a very big discussion. Let’s have some leadership, O Wise Ones!
* I am getting into this Certification and JSF Official discussion big time. I hope something comes of it this time. We need some people to start submitting some actual documents of proposed procedures for this stuff (that will turn into JEPs at the right time). Then we’ll have to build new webpages on j.org. It will actually be a very large project. Maybe the most motivated should form a task force or committee. Guess I need to bring that up on the list…

[1] Steve Kangas: Equality versus Merit, 1996

“In an unrestricted meritocracy, the strongest keep accumulating power until the weak are eliminated. In an equal society, the equal distribution of rewards causes excellence to fall, because there is no reward for trying harder. The compromise between these two extremes is a moderated meritocracy, where the most talented continue to be the most rewarded, but a percentage of their resources is redistributed back to the middle class, to keep them competitive and in the game. This keeps the talent pool as healthy as possible, from which even greater talent is drawn. It also unlocks the fullest potential of society.”