This is a part of the Fedora Council Elections Interviews series. Voting is open to all Fedora contributors. The voting period starts today, Tuesday 20th May and closes promptly at 23:59:59 UTC on Monday, 2 June 2025.

Interview with Miro Hrončok

  • FAS ID: churchyard
  • Matrix ID: mhroncok
  • Matrix Rooms: devel, python, EPEL and many others

Questions


Why are you running for Fedora Council?

I’ve been an active Fedora contributor for over 12 years—co‑maintaining the Python and 3D‑printing stacks and sponsoring new packagers—and I’ve served five years on the Engineering Steering Committee (FESCo) and seven years on the Packaging Committee (FPC). Through those roles I’ve gained a deep understanding of how Fedora is built and governed. I can bring that experience to the Fedora Council and ensure that the people who do the day‑to‑day work of creating Fedora Linux have a strong, informed voice at the table.

The Fedora Strategy guiding star is that the project is going to double its contributor base by 2028. As a council member, how would you try to help the project delivering on that goal’?

Onboarding new contributors is the key. Packaging is one of the most visible and rewarding entry points for newcomers, but our current sponsorship and review processes can be complex, intimidating and slow. I’d like to:

  • Streamline sponsorship.
    • Create a lightweight, automated “sponsor queue” to match newcomers with willing sponsors.
    • Clearly document every step so first‑time packagers aren’t stalled hunting for sponsors.
  • Unify and simplify workflows.
    • Consolidate all packaging documentation into a single, community‑maintained guide.
    • Move new‑package reviews from Bugzilla into a Git‑based Pull Request workflow to match modern development practices.

By making packaging more accessible, we’ll give new contributors quick wins, boost their confidence, and inspire them to explore other areas of Fedora.

How can we best measure Fedora’s success?

The ultimate sign of Fedora’s impact is when it becomes the default platform for open‑source development and emerging technologies—such as AI. Success metrics might include:

  • Fedora Linux usage in CI pipelines. Track how many major platforms (e.g. GitHub Actions, GitLab CI) offer e.g. fedora-latest (or even select it as default) and how many major projects (e.g. Python, Rust, GNOME, the Linux kernel) use it.
  • Container base image. Measure how many (popular) containers on hubs use Fedora Linux as a base image.
  • Windows Subsystem for Linux. Monitor or estimate how many Windows users set Fedora as their WSL distribution and strive to make it the default.
  • Surveys and feedback loops. Reach out to upstream maintainers and CI providers to identify blockers and prioritize improvements.

By combining quantitative tracking (CI default stats, WSL distro statistics) with qualitative engagement (surveys, interviews), we can see where Fedora leads, where we trail, and where to invest next.

What do you see as Fedora’s place in the universe?

Fedora should be the premier innovation platform for the entire open‑source ecosystem.
Whether you’re launching an AI framework, advancing the Linux desktop, or experimenting with 3D printing software, Fedora ought to be your first choice for building, testing, and distributing your work. We already have a good range of tools for this.

As Council members, we must nurture all of these channels and actively create new ones to keep Fedora at the forefront of open‑source development.

The Fedora Council is intended to be an active working body. How will you make room for Council work?

I’m on the Python Maintenance team at Red Hat, and my manager fully supports my candidacy. If elected:

  • I’ll dedicate a portion of my work week to Fedora Council duties, just as I did for FESCo.
  • I will maintain independence—Red Hat will not direct my votes or assign Council tasks. (Or else I am prepared to resign from the Council.)