I'm with you guys! I so want to be wrong about being right about this grant process. I'm part of this grant process, because I got one of the grants, so by being right I'm criticizing my own participation in the process. No one wants to have to criticize themselves!

Nothing anyone has said on this thread has been able to prove me wrong about my prediction that gb's grant would be dismissed out-of-hand. Even though the other two grants have an equal level of enthusiasm to hers.

The gist of the argument @gb and I were having when she submitted this proposal is still the following:

• they won't give you the grant
• you'll have to fight the politics until the end
• you'll need a bullet-proof proposal

Finally, and the part I'm most nervous about, is that when she gets the grant she'll have to actually code on it. Time is money, money is time. Being given the time to work on becoming a better coder is without a doubt what gb is most excited about. I'm nervous because she might actually have the resources to improve as a coder, if given the opportunity. What I'm most nervous about is that because I do not publish or commit code under my significant others' public/private key, all of her commits will be hers! Writing her own code will be empowering!

Not being given opportunities is how women are excluded from tech. Let's all keep in mind that women and minorities are at an extreme disadvantage because they are not encouraged from a young age to sit in front of computers in order to learn how to code.

We're in a privileged position as a small group of white men, let's not abuse that privilege. Because I'm a white boy who grew up in Chicago in the 90s, I have 15 years more coding experience than gb does. She got her first computer in college, there was a computer in my house when I was born. Sometimes I forget this, and gb has to remind me why I'm a better coder than her -- it's because I've had more access and opportunities than her.

By giving gb this grant, we'll give her the opportunity to step back from her part time job for a couple of months, and in doing so she'll be able to dedicate her time to learning, growth, and completing the project that she proposed.

Don't get me wrong, I support @micro's grant. Routerless scuttlebutt is a very cool idea. I'm very enthused about #bacalus. Just as I intend to help @gb accomplish her grant (with advice and instruction, not coding it for her) when she is given it, I also intend to help @micro accomplish his grant when he is given it. This grant could change everything! For me, it doesn't matter that @micro joined the network four weeks ago, I trust him to do good with his grant.

But I maintain my position that @elavoie's grant is more vague than gb's grant. If her grant is to be dismissed for being vague, then his should be as well. To be fair, the only person who should get a grant this round is @micro. Then we can give both @gb and @elavoie a chance to strengthen their proposals for next round.

Let me reiterate: I am locking arms with you guys! I want gwen to stand down, give up on this round, and work towards strengthening her proposal to be rejected in the next round.

The only problem is that I have very little control over her as gb is her own person, and she's intent on proving me wrong about this grant process and the whole boys' club thing. Y'all are her friends too, not just my friends! She doesn't want me to be right about us.

If she'd been written off for her coding skills, perhaps she'd taken it better. I didn't predict that she'd be written off for her coding skills, I predicted she'd be written off for vague reasons.

The other trouble is I asked her, as she was submitting this proposal 'are you willing to fight the politics until the end?' and she said "yes!". By giving up this round she has to not just concede to the adjudicator, and the arch-adjudicator, she also has to concede to me. We'd be right! She'd be wrong.

If there is anything that can be said of gb, is that she is stubborn. I don't think gb is willing concede to me on this issue. But we'll see, maybe I can convince her behind-the-scenes to give up and submit for the next round in a peaceful and supportive way.

However, it might be easier for the adjudicator and the arch-adjudicator and me to all agree to stand down, give her the grant, and trust that she will do good with it based on her experience working with the scuttlebutt community over the past 2+ years. Then we can end the politics now, and gb get straight to work improving her coding skills with the resources granted to her.

In the meantime, we can all gather together to support and strengthen her proposal -- whether or not it is approved this round or next.