Hi Martin

On Tue, Sep 16, 2025 at 10:54:19PM +0300, Martin Storsjö via ffmpeg-devel wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Sep 2025, Michael Niedermayer via ffmpeg-devel wrote:
> 
> > On Tue, Sep 16, 2025 at 02:12:20PM +0300, Martin Storsjö via ffmpeg-devel wrote:
> > > On Tue, 16 Sep 2025, Michael Niedermayer wrote:
> > > 
> > > > Hi all
> > > > 
> > > > 2 months ago we voted on testing Forgejo vs Gitlab, we picked and tested
> > > > Forgejo. And as said in that vote, (and surprisingly, i have not forgotten it)
> > > > heres the "after testing" discussion and vote
> > > > 
> > > > do we want to keep Forgejo or switch back to the ML workflow
> > > > (or something else)
> > > > 
> > > > F. keep Forgejo as primary forge for patch/git workflow
> > > > M. switch back to the ML for patch/git workflow
> > > > 
> > > > all GA members can vote, by publically replying here with a
> > > > "F." / "Forgejo" vs "M." / "ML"
> > > 
> > 
> > > Any vote on anything that can be even potentially contentious should be made
> > > with closed voting, not requiring everybody to publicly state their
> > > preference.
> > 
> > You mean a "secret ballot"
> > 
> > First, id like to say thanks, for you commenting here, even if we dont
> > agree. I think such debate is a good thing as long as its friendly
> > and you always have been friendly!
> > 
> > my current oppinion on the subject:
> > 
> > The main goal of a secret ballot is to protect the citizen so she can delegate
> > her power to a "office holder" freely
> 
> No, that is not the point at all.

“democracies die behind closed doors.”


> 
> The point is having one's voice and vote count, without needing to disclose
> it publicly.

The purpose of a government is to govern, to make the right decissions
and to take responsibility, especially when the decissions where wrong.

A secret ballot conflicts with this.

Also if you want an example
The classical Assembly (Ekklesia) in ancient greece voted in public

And in most modern Democracies, parliamentary votes are public

In governments where each area has a minister, decissions can be associated
with the specific minister.

There are situations where fully public ballots are bad. like when
deciding military strategy
Or when the citizens elect their representattives (see nicolas reply)


> On potentially contentious matters, people eligible to vote may
> wish to do so, without having to publicly state their preference attached to
> their name.

Certainly. I understand people prefer to have power without having to
stand with their name behind their decission (and take responsibility
if it was the wrong decission)
But i think thats not in the interrest of FFmpeg or the community.

thx

[...]

-- 
Michael     GnuPG fingerprint: 9FF2128B147EF6730BADF133611EC787040B0FAB

Nations do behave wisely once they have exhausted all other alternatives. 
-- Abba Eban