response 156 of 367:

Mar 1 02:41 UTC 1997

I just voted- still no explanatory text, and as it wasn't there when the vote
started, this vote MUSt be considered invalid! The proposal makes no sense:
"MOTION:

 

 To allow unregistered users to read all Grex conferences

 except the Staff conference."
Sure, one could read through here and get the OPINION of what an unregistered
user is, but if there is no definition in the motion, ESPECIALLY in a motion
that is so arrogantly simplistic in it's assuming wording, the wording of that
motion is INVALID. All you can get here in coop is the OPINION of what this
motion means- but the actual motion is so very vague that MY opinion of what
it says is just as valid as Mary's!

response 160 of 367:

Mar 1 19:16 UTC 1997

Someone (pfv, I think) entered an item in the M-Net general
conference reporting on the "unregistered reading" controversy
on Grex, which has prompted discussion (surprise, surprise) of
what M-Net should do. I entered a response detailing my
viewpoint on the issue, and it occurred to me that it might be
reasonable to post it here as well, as one more effort to say
why I think this proposal is a good idea and why I hope it
passes. So here's what I said on M-Net:
----------
 Speaking as one who's been participating in the Grex discussions of
 this all along: I favor unregistered reading (i.e. reading any public
 conference on Grex via the web, without a login id) as it establishes,
 in effect, a "guest account" with an easy interface that people can
 use to check out Grex. Right now, to do that you have to run newuser
 and create an account to do that. There lots of people who do that,
 log in once, and never come back -- and until their account is reaped
 they're using Grex resources: space in the passwd file, space on the
 disk. With the proposed read-only web interface, they wouldn't be
 using resources if they decided not to come back.
 
 More important than the resource usage issue: Maybe with an easier
 interface, we'll attract more people who find a discussion interesting
 and are motivated to run newuser (which also has a web interface on
 grex) so that they can contribute to the discussion and, thereby,
 become part of the community -- people we wouldn't have gotten if
 they'd had to go through the extra step of taking out an account
 in order even to *read* anything.
 
 There's currently a member vote underway on Grex on this issue. The
 concept has certainly elicited a lot of vocal and emotional opposition,
 although my sense is that the majority of members favor unregistered
 reading. We shall see.
 
 The compromise of making an "intro" or "best of Grex" conference 
 web-readable has been proposed, but what's "interesting" or "best" to
 one person is not necessarily so to another. So I much prefer making
 everything open and letting folks decide what they like without having
 somebody pre-filter it for them.
 
 The opposition to this seems to be based, as best I can tell, that
 unregistered reading would be "less private" in some significant
 sense than the kind of access that people have now. Given that
 anybody can run newuser on Grex (just as on M-Net), not give any
 correct personal information, and can then read *and post to* any
 conference -- anonymously -- this argument just doesn't hold water.
 If people think that what they enter in conferences *now* on Grex
 or M-Net is in any sense private, then they are kidding themselves.

response 162 of 367:

Mar 1 22:48 UTC 1997

I think if Mary's proposal passes, and robh announces he's resigning, that
the board should decline his resignation offer.  Keep rob on in name as a
board member for the rest of his term.  Probably wont have problems making
quorum anyway.  Or make rob a "board member-emeritus"  

response 164 of 367:

Mar 2 02:15 UTC 1997

I agree with richard. Jeff, please reconsider. We do not want to lose robh!

response 166 of 367:

Mar 2 08:36 UTC 1997

re #139 - Valerie, I'm glad to hear that.  However, having strongly
reconsidered my vote, I think I still am going to vote against the
measure.

re #162 - What kind of hypocrites would the board be by declining robh's
resignation?  For a board that is striving to improve the grex community
and open it to others, it would be a total reversal to not allow a board
member to decide his own fate upon the board.  (A newbie may enter Grex
on his/her free will, but a board member cannot leave it?)

If robh resigns, and the board declines it - I will most likely *not*
renew my membership when it comes due, because that action is the
antithesis of any open-minded community.

response 168 of 367:

Mar 2 10:43 UTC 1997

Issues of personal choice aside, if the Board wants to decline
my resignation, they have every right to do so.  It even says
so in the By-Laws.  (Yes, some of us have read the whole thing.
>8)  They should probably consider, though, that I would not be
attending any future Board meetings from that point on, which
would make it that much harder for them to make quorum for a meeting.
It would better serve Grex's needs (IMHO) if I were replaced as
quickly as possible, to keep things running smoothly.

(The funny thing is, if my resignation is accepted, then the 2/3
quorum will temporarily drop to 4 Board members until my replacement
is elected.  Another good reason to accept it ASAP!)

Of course, I'm still hoping that I won't have to resign.  I'm not
exactly eager to leave.

response 170 of 367:

Mar 2 13:38 UTC 1997

Hmm, just checked out what the bylaws have to say about
accepting resignations, and here's all I found, in Section 4.e:

         A BOD member shall be removed from office *if they
         resign* [emphasis added], not be available for meetings
         or respond to BOD communications for a period of four
         months, or be voted out of office by a vote of the
         membership, with 3/4 of the ballots cast in favor of
         removal.

I read that as meaning that if a BOD member resigns, then the
BOD is obligated to accept the resignation.

Even if there were no such clause, I think it would be poor
judgement for the BOD not to honor a resignation.

response 172 of 367:

Mar 2 18:26 UTC 1997

Rob, please reconsider. It is not too late. No one can expect everything to
be exactly as they might want. This issue is one that will not be over
whatever the vote says. Real experience will tell Grex what to do, and you
are needed to evaluate that experience. I sincerely hope you will find a way
to stay. We need you. And, you have a sense of humor (which implies
perspective in viewing life) - so stay, please. I repeat, it is not too late
to continue. Heck-fire man! Grex wants you! Not many can claim that. 

response 174 of 367:

Mar 2 19:29 UTC 1997

Well, in a way it *is* too late, adbarr.  srw wasn't kidding when
he referred to a solemn vow up there - even if I had changed my mind
about this (which I haven't), I'm not about to disgrace myself or
my goddess my going back on a promise I've made to her.

There's no way that I could participate in this conferencing system
if I knew that anything I typed was being broadcast to any idiot
on the Web, and it's not fair for the members of Grex to have a Board
member who won't take part in (or even read) the Co-op conference.
Or a staff member.

response 176 of 367:

Mar 2 20:03 UTC 1997

I won't leave Grex, but I won't conference sanymore. I'll
go back to talking to friends and using my free e-mail.
I don't want to be apart of communities I'm not safe in.
That's my solemn vow.

response 178 of 367:

Mar 2 23:04 UTC 1997

This is not in the best interest of Grex. Anyone posting responses here who
expects the world will never know is ignoring the facts. The essence of this
system is openness. Else what? A club? A clique? A cabal? No thank you! I
feel privileged to particpate in and use this system. If the world reads my
thoughts and errors and foibles then so be it. i wonder sometimes what it must
be like to be in a repressive society and worry about the "thought police"
reading my entries. Are we there now? I do not think so. A user can be anyone.
Anyone can say anything. Where is the danger. Those opposed should, in my
personal and humble opinion, state their real fears. "Anyone reading my
statements" is not defined enough for me. Anyone can do that now. So what is
the problem. I agree with kerouac, in general. Heh. We must both be rebels
here.