Distro Transparency Index (DTI)

Detailed Evaluation

1. Governance Transparency: 0/3

• Availability of governance documents: Partial (0 points)
• Detail of governance documents: Minimal (0 points)
• Source: Manjaro Team – no comprehensive governance documentation available.

2. Decision Making Transparency: 0/3

• Documented decision-making process: Partial (0 points)
• Accessibility of meeting minutes: Not available (0 points)
• Source: Manjaro Forum – some discussion but no formal documentation.

3. Economic Transparency: 0/4

• Publication of financial statements: Not published (0 points)
• Detail of financial statements: Minimal (0 points)

4. Economic Accessibility: 0/4

• Access to financial reports: Not available (0 points)
• Ease of access: Difficult (0 points)

5. Source Code Accessibility: 4/4

• Availability of source code: Public (2 points)
• Ease of access to source code: Easy (2 points)
• Source: Manjaro GitLab – code is open and accessible.

6. Public Roadmap Availability (Rolling Release): 3/5

• Transparency of continuous development process: Moderate (2 points)
• Accessibility to information on upcoming updates: Moderate (1 point)
• Source: Manjaro News – updates provided regularly but not structured into a clear roadmap.

7. Transparency in Code Review Processes: 1/3

• Documentation of review processes: Partial (0 points)
• Transparency of review processes: Moderate (1 point)

8. Community Participation in Development: 2/4

• Number of active contributors: Moderate (1 point)
• Accessibility to development processes: Moderate (1 point)
• Source: Manjaro GitLab Contributors.

9. Impact of Governance Structure on Transparency: 2/6

• Centralization of decision-making power: Partially centralized (1 point)
• Control and balance mechanisms: Weak (0 points)
• Influence of commercial entities: Moderate (1 point)

Final Score: 33.33/100

Concluding Analysis

Manjaro demonstrates varying levels of transparency and accessibility across the evaluated areas.

• Excellent accessibility of source code.
• Moderate transparency in the continuous development process.
• Some level of community participation in development.

• Formal governance documentation and decision-making transparency.
• Economic transparency and accessibility of financial information.
• More structured and transparent code review processes.
• Clearer definition of control and balance mechanisms in governance.
• Greater transparency about the role of Manjaro GmbH & Co. KG in project governance.

The score of 33.33/100 reflects Manjaro's limited formal transparency structures. While it performs well in source code accessibility and has some strengths in development transparency, there are significant areas for improvement.

Manjaro's commercial evolution and emphasis on usability may lead to deprioritizing formal transparency practices. Enhancing governance documentation and economic transparency would strengthen its credibility within the open-source community.