Ding dong, the baffer's gone! Which old baffer? The robh baffer!

Mar 13 17:16 UTC 1997

OK, let me get the boring legalese out of the way first:

        This letter is to notify the members of Grex that,
        effective immediately, Robert Henderson is resigning
        from both the Board of Directors of Cyberspace
        Communications Inc., and the Grex staff.

When I stopped by Meijer on the way home a few nights/mornings ago,
I saw something that pretty well convinced me that the result of the
vote was going to be "yes".  As I passed through the bakery area,
I did a double take.  Sitting on one of the bakery tables, among the
doughnuts and cookies, was a Tickle-Me-Elmo doll.  Somebody had
put it in their cart, come down to the grocery area, decided *that
they didn't want it*, and didn't even feel like taking it back to
the Toy department.  Three months ago, people were being sent to the
hospital because of the demand for this thing.  Now, it's being
tossed away and no one really cares.  I expected this to happen at
some point, of course, it always does with these have-to-have toys.
But I thought it would at least be more than three months!

Seeing that little Elmo's time had already come and gone, that was
when I knew for certain that mine had as well.

(OK, it's not quite as eloquent as talking to the skull of the jester
you knew as a child, but this really happened!)

I know that most folks who are reading this don't consider anonymous
access a big deal, and are probably bamboozled as to why I'm resigning
over something like this.  To be honest, I'm just as bamboozled as to
why most folks *don't* have a problem with it.  Attending a large party
is one thing, having your actions videotaped and broadcast on CNN is
something else.  Ah, but there I'm going for the analogies again - they
didn't work the first time, why should they work now?

In any case, I made a very solemn promise that I would not use the
conferences if they were all made anonymous-accessible.  Even if my
views on anonymous access had changed (which they still haven't), I
would not go back on that promise.  And I refuse to continue being
a Board or staff member if I'm not taking part in Co-op - I know how
ticked off I'd be if I found out there was a baffer who wasn't reading
the conference, and I'm not about to become one.

I still don't think that anonymous access is going to make Grex's
conferences any more active.  For Grex's sake, I hope that I'm wrong.
I do still care about the place, even if I can't participate any more.

And I don't want there to be any doubt about this: I do NOT hold any
individual here responsible for this.  The members of Grex wanted
anonymous access, or they wouldn't have voted "yes" on this.  I
suppose I would have felt better if the margin had been wider, but
more than 50% makes a majority, and that's what it got. As someone
once said, "Democracy is four wolves and a sheep deciding what's for
dinner."  That works out well, as long as you're one of the wolves.  >8)

I'll still be on Grex, of course, reading mail and using party and helping
users (there's no need for the help-seekers to suffer because of this)
and whatnot.  I'll probably be scouting around for new conferencing
systems, as well, so we may well meet again on some distant microchip.
And of course, if the anonymous access is dropped here, I'll be back in
a shot.

May Athena's wisdom shine through every one of you,

Rob Henderson

response 2 of 88:

Mar 13 17:30 UTC 1997

We'll miss you, Rob.  Thanks for all your work on Grex.  I'd try to convince
you to come back, but it doesn't sound like that would do any good.  :(

response 4 of 88:

Mar 13 18:17 UTC 1997

i'm tempted to join robh

response 6 of 88:

Mar 13 20:45 UTC 1997

Goodbye, Rob.  I too am really sorry to see you go.

response 8 of 88:

Mar 13 22:24 UTC 1997

I still dont understand rob.  He could still *read* coop, without participating
in the discussions.  If that was his primary reason for resigning from the
board, it makes no sense

response 10 of 88:

Mar 13 23:15 UTC 1997

        and you are..

response 12 of 88:

Mar 13 23:27 UTC 1997

Well, Ricchard, if he's not going to PARTICIPATE in the conference system,
then that's that. To read is also to participate, you know.
Speaking of which, during the b\next few days, I'll be going through every
conference I've ever posted in, and I will be scribbling all my posts, even
the #0's, if I can.
And then I'll join Robh in the land of the lost, after I find a new FW for
Sexuality.
Goodbye.

response 14 of 88:

Mar 14 00:14 UTC 1997

Well, so far from this passing, we have lost:

a) all the items in a conference
b) one of the greatest staff members and a member of the BOD
c) my membership dues

And, what we have gained:

Zippo.

response 16 of 88:

Mar 14 02:50 UTC 1997

I'm sure David Cahill and co. would welcome rob at mnet, they could use come
experience on the staff there Im sure....and mnet could always use another
sex conf if Selena wants to restart heres there

response 18 of 88:

Mar 14 03:05 UTC 1997

but mnet is closed...its still a perfect world there, as far as rob would be
concerned...

response 20 of 88:

Mar 14 03:16 UTC 1997

I wonder if robh is canceling his membership and wants grex to refundhis
money?

response 22 of 88:

Mar 14 05:20 UTC 1997

I'm leaving the conferences too, as soon as I straighten out poetry.
I gueess that makes what 4 people you've lost from the conferences
at least. I will withold resining as fw until i see what happens
with the next vote, but I will restart the conf after a fair warning.
And least anybody insult me *richard* behind my back,
poetry has been due for a restart since this time last year.
900 items? I was planning on aiting til 1000 but all plans go awry.
Maybe I'll even wait til the second one is voted on if I find
out whether or not this one has been implemented yet.
--
I think 4 users, rane. 
--
and maybe you should give someone else my membership.
Having it leaves a sour taste i MY mouth. Actually,
it makes me want to vomit.
--
I'm sure Rob does not consider mnet perfect. Reading staus
is not the be all end all of his existence. Rob has been
to m-net, for goodness sake, I think ,anyway,. I'm lost.
That's how one gets whn one realizes its time to leave 
a place they really considered a sort of home, a little
lost. Goodnight everyone, the universe is over, its
time to close the door.

response 24 of 88:

Mar 14 15:00 UTC 1997

It is possible to respect people's wishs even when you don't understand them.
I have complete respect for Rob, and I'm sorry to see him go.