User:Sethwoodworth/MembershipDraft

Prologue

Potential community members have been searching for a way to get some sense of ownership of the OLPC project. I originally started hanging around in OLPC irc rooms just to get a better idea of what was going on and maybe get involved. Many people, prominent and talented, have sent emails to the volunteer@l.o list trying to contribute as well. For programmers the contribution structure system is established and familiar. They contribute code, and are listed in some obscure way as a development contributor. Some 60 of these volunteers have found their validation in the Support-Gang, others have formed local OLPC groups (SeaXO) and still others have forged their own paths in content and non-programming activities (Cjl, Mchua(?), myself). Others have languished and disappeared due to a lack of structure for their contributions (cafl).

Examples

Wikipedia

WP, partially, allows for the recognition of contributors via edit counts (universal or by article) and awards barnstars for contribution of note. This, along with their lofty goal, has allowed for a strong sense of ownership of the encyclopedia.

Wikipedia also has adminships that it awards contributors. This is almost an accident, however. Adminships are only supposed to be awarded for those who *need* the privileges and in stead are often awarded for substantial contributions.

Gnome Membership

http://foundation.gnome.org/membership/application.php

The Gnome foundation has a process for becoming a voting member, and are chosen for those who provide non-trivial contributions to Gnome. Non-trivial contributions are normally considered code, debugging, and maintaining packages, but may also be awarded for advocacy or for producing other materials for Gnome. Also memberships have been awarded for documentation and tutorials.

Memberships are decided on by the "discretion of the Membership Committee and the Board of Directors" last two years, and can be renewed.

Ubuntu Membership

http://www.ubuntu.com/community/processes/newmember Ubuntu has a system of membership (created by Mako?) that closely resembles the process for Gnome.