Paul "π" Ivanov’s Post

A great post, very insightful. Even after a few years in the community, I was surprised by a few things… not in a good way. For the European entity, they have no excuses. I myself opened a GmbH, not in my country, without knowing the language, got an accountant to help out without scamming me (I could do better than the hefty overhead they charge), all that in a couple of months. So 9 years to have nothing!? It just shows once more that the focus is very much on the US side. The EU entity would really help. Just from a cost perspective, they could hire in EU instead. Which would leave more funds to the projects. It’s what matters the most. Also it would simplify the paperwork. Raise your hand for the famous W8-BEN 😅

Enough people have pinged me since this post that I feel the need to respond in some way. I want to make clear - I do not speak for the board of directors. I resigned from the board a few weeks ago due to a job change, and unfortunately that news hasn't circulated. I've been watching from the sidelines and digesting the conversation for the past few days. There is without a doubt a lot of very valuable and completely fair feedback here. On the other hand, I wish we all had the opportunity to meet and clear up any confusions, misunderstandings, and inaccuracies before now. Hopefully, this has opened a channel for better communication and transparency in the future.

Thanks for sharing this Paul "π" Ivanov. I really appreciate your desire to see community-driven open-source projects thrive. I think you bring up some very important points. I have not been involved directly with NumFOCUS for over 9 years, but am super grateful to the people that have been willing to spend their time and energy in helping projects grow. I eagerly attend the advisory meetings about 4 times a year, try to come to the NumFOCUS summit and a PyData conference each year -- and try to help where I can with conversations and encouragement. There is something very special about the "SciPyData" community that has been built over many years. I believe NumFOCUS has an impactful role to play in continuing to nurture, build-on, and promote that "ethos" --- which includes the ability to speak out about concerns like you are doing and have them discussed openly and respectfully. Building organizations is hard! One core issue is that to have an organization that serves the community you have to have solid communication and organizational leadership skills that are hard to find (those skills are in-demand elsewhere too). It is a great time right now to help define the future!

Thanks Paul for talking with so many of us, and this thoughtful synthesis. This reflects patterns I've seen while working with NumFOCUS in various capacities. Running an organization is hard work! I definitely appreciate the challenges and everyone who has been contributing. But transparency and accountability are key for any governance and for best supporting the projects, and I'm glad we can have the conversation.

Well-written and thoughtful piece. As always. Nice work Paul "π" Ivanov

Hi Paul, thank you for sharing such detailed insights. Indeed, as others have mentioned, managing an organization and working with a diverse group present their own challenges. I look forward to learning from the insights you've provided and applying these lessons to further support other communities. Cheers,

Thanks for sharing this Paul.

Thanks for shining some daylight here, Paul.