response 51 of 71:

Jan 12 18:53 UTC 2013

re resp:50: That is a question I had to consider before I said I would
run.  Yes, i will serve my full term on the Board even if I can't
convince Grexers to pursue a merger.

I intend to pursue the merger idea because I think it will be a benefit.
 I can be pretty vigorous about such things.  I'll do my best on that.

I haven't thought of any other initiatives to propose, yet, but I will
surely try if that is needed.

Even aside from bold new directions, there is work to be done and I can
help with that.  I am strongly bound to the idea of Grex/M-Net style
local community conferencing.  M-Net is what brought me into the Ann
Arbor area.  It and Grex have been a big chunk of my life.  Grex isn't
my #1 priority but it isn't something I want to see go away, either.

response 53 of 71:

Jan 14 02:34 UTC 2013

Okay, jep, please provide more detail about this so-called "merger" by
dissolving Grex.  I just don't see it as working the way you think it
will.  You've provided little to nothing to back up your side of it, and
included some misrepresentations, such as there are only 2 staff members
doing anything on Grex, which I find insulting.  Or about Grex not being
self-sustaining, when it is.  You just don't provide any evidence for
these sort of statements.  As a result I don't think you have a good
grasp on the outcome of what you are proposing, unless you came here to
benefit Arbornet and destroy Grex or have a flawed understanding of how
Grex works.  So far, about all you are doing is helping make sure we
won't get the support we need, which I don't find helpful at all.  It's
very easy to destroy things. The more courageous course would be to make
things better.

response 55 of 71:

Jan 14 03:27 UTC 2013

re resp:53:

kentn: Okay, jep, please provide more detail about this so-called merger
by dissolving Grex.  I just don't see it as working the way you think it
will.

jep: Honestly I don't want to dissolve Grex.  I want Grex to survive.  I
want to dissolve Cyberspace Communications, and have Grex be part of
M-Net's conferencing system (or have M-Net be part of Grex's, but I
envisioned it as happening on M-Net).  It could be done by merging the
two groups, or by dissolving one and having it's active conferences
become part of the other.  I don't see the technical part of migrating
conferences as being much of a challenge.

The legal part may be difficult or it may not.  If Cyberspace dissolves,
it can give it's assets to any charity chosen by the Board of Directors.
 Arbornet is one option, but others have been mentioned.  Arbornet
doesn't need anything, as has been pointed out.  If they're to be given
to another organization, I'd want it to be something noncontroversial. 
I'd rather have them go to the Red Cross than the NRA, Planned
Parenthood, Irish Republican Army, or something one-sidedly partisan.

If I am missing part of the point of your question, I am sorry, please
let me know what I missed.

kentn said: You've provided little to nothing to back up your side of
it, and included some misrepresentations, such as there are only 2 staff
members doing anything on Grex, which I find insulting.

I sincerely apologize for saying there are only two staff members.  I
didn't intend to slight anyone or insult anyone but was not aware of
what others do.  I should have been aware of at least some of it.

kentn said: Or about Grex not being self-sustaining, when it is.

Kent, I have said Grex is in decline.  I believe that to be true.  The
number of users in the conferences has decreased.  I don't believe that
to be controversial.  There aren't new users -- who's the last new user
who posted on two different days?  Also, the system itself has gone down
several times over the last couple of years, for multiple days at a
time, once for *months*.  Those things are facts.  I'll discuss them
further if you wish to dispute them.  They're not very far off and you
know it.  What's self-sustaining about Grex right now?

kentn said: You just don't provide any evidence for these sort of
statements.  As a result I don't think you have a good grasp on the
outcome of what you are proposing, unless you came here to benefit
Arbornet and destroy Grex or have a flawed understanding of how Grex
works.  So far, about all you are doing is helping make sure we won't
get the support we need, which I don't find helpful at all.  It's very
easy to destroy things. The more courageous course would be to make
things better.

Well, I provided verifiable facts and cited why they are reasons for my
proposal.  Challenge them if you will, I'll join that debate.

I have never had any interest in destroying Grex.  Do you really think
that's something I want?  I love the agora conference.  The only other
active conference -- as far as I am aware -- is this one.  I've been a
long time participant here, too, but won't claim it's always a lot of
fun.  I've tried to contribute to it for all the time it's been around,
whenever I could.

What have I ever done to stop anyone from supporting Grex?  At worst,
the "jep agenda" is a far-out, easily dismissed idea.  It doesn't hurt
anyone or any thing.  At best, it'll save Grex, and M-Net too, by adding
users to a combined base and bringing together user activity to an
increased and more sustainable level.  Maybe that can actually grow,
gain some new users, and be more interesting.  That's what I want.

I also said this: for years, you've been asking for ideas on how Grex
can change.  Well, I've proposed a change.  I sure wish you'd propose
something better, rather than attacking me, as a Republican; as someone
who wants to destroy Grex; as an evil force.  It's possible I'll be a
force.  If so, I'm an outside force; I've never been involved in running
Cyberspace Communications before, unlike anyone else who's ran for the
Board for many years.  I am not evil.  I don't want to destroy Grex.

response 57 of 71:

Jan 17 16:04 UTC 2013

As of just now jep has not made mention, on M-Net, of his intention to 
merge the two systems.  Kind of odd, that. So I entered an item there 
with John's candidate statement.  

response 59 of 71:

Jan 17 18:05 UTC 2013

The item on M-Net can be reached here:
   http://tinyurl.com/jep-agenda-m-net
or by going to the January 2013 general conference and looking in item 13.

response 61 of 71:

Jan 18 04:32 UTC 2013

Passwords don't get deleted and we haven't reaped accounts for a long
time.  Your account still exists.  Let me know if you need your password
reset.

response 63 of 71:

Jan 19 02:11 UTC 2013

As I e-mailed you, type 'passwd' at the command prompt and follow
the prompts.  Your account still exists.

response 65 of 71:

Jan 19 16:25 UTC 2013

There is a mindterm terminal link on Grex's front web page that will
get you a java-based terminal you can use to get to a command line.
Have you read through the Grex FAQ (link on Grex's main web page, too)?
It explains a lot of this stuff.
 
We may need to reset you Grex password if you can't find the e-mail
I sent (or I can see if I can resent it).  You responded to it, so
I know you got it.

response 67 of 71:

Jan 19 18:30 UTC 2013

Okay, let me know if you need more help getting to a command line.
Unfortunately we don't have a web-based password reset page.  That's
one of those improvements we could do, but there are potential issues
because we don't have an easy way for all users to authenticate to
prove they are the person who owns the account.  Thus, we make it a
dialog with the help desk.  New accounts have an external e-mail address
associated so we can use that as part of the authentication process.

response 71 of 71:

Jan 27 19:33 UTC 2013

tsty: it seems somehow your accounts have *both* been reaped on mnet. 
you should probably run newuser.  apparently they weren't protected, and
I reaped them last april.  sorry about that.  I've added you to noreap
now.