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Grex > Coop > #284: Grex Town Hall -- How do we move forward? - Fall, 2010 |  |
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| Author |
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| 25 new of 334 responses total. |
keesan
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response 56 of 334:
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Sep 30 18:08 UTC 2010 |
SDF offers 600MB of space (for email and webpage etc.) including images in
your page, for $36 one-time payment. Grex offers 1MB without images.
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kentn
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response 57 of 334:
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Sep 30 18:10 UTC 2010 |
Just because some applications and services are available elsewhere or
even that someone else does the same service better, does not mean that
we can't offer the same thing here. Other places offer unix accounts,
e-mail, etc. I don't see a reason why we couldn't encourage users to do
their communication in a different environment if they so choose (which
implies that our current environment/apps will remain for those who
want to continue doing what they are currently doing). Part of what
attracts people to a particular site is the community that exists there.
If we could encourage more sub-communities to exist here, that might
help.
I think the PayPal automation idea for verification deserves some
serious discussion as does the idea of allowing a little more
functionality into the restricted shell.
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krj
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response 58 of 334:
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Sep 30 18:33 UTC 2010 |
On the restricted user accounts as a defense against vandals:
My theory: There are two different types of hostile users.
The everyday type is interested in using Grex to go annoy people
somewhere else.
The special ones are interested in screwing with the Grex community.
This is total speculation on my part, but I wonder if we need a
2-tier defense system controlled by a switch.
Under Alert Code Yellow, normal conditions, newbies should be
allowed access to party (especially), BBS, and maybe some other
stuff which can't upset the outside world too much.
Alert Code Orange would be the status we have run on for the
last couple of years, with pretty much everything locked down.
We'd save that for when a party hostile to Grex was actively
after us.
"Orange" might have to force users who newuser'd under "Yellow"
to validate. Otherwise the malicious anti-Grex person might
just stockpile IDs under Condition Yellow.
This all sounds like work. :-( But locking newbies out of party
has pretty much killed the party community.
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tod
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response 59 of 334:
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Sep 30 19:05 UTC 2010 |
My theory: There are two different types of hostile users.
There's also a third kind. These are the people who go to Zingerman's
and pay $9 for coleslaw with bacon bits then tell everyone they had
an equisite Appalachian salad. And anyone whom hasn't partaken of this
health elixir is not qualified in Grex governance.
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jep
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response 60 of 334:
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Sep 30 19:34 UTC 2010 |
re resp:47: My point was lost. It was that Unix programming does not
need to be a limited resource. Anyone can acquire the skill. Richard
can contribute to Grex if he wants to see changes.
re resp:50: When I feel like my contribution is not mainly adding to a
big pile of money being accumulated for no apparent purpose, then I will
contribute to Grex as I used to do in the past. I was not aware Grex
was below the $3,000 mark. I was not aware it was below the $6,000
line. I refused to send more when it was at around $4,700. It climbed
much higher after that. No one missed the money I didn't send.
I'll go on record now. If Grex hits $1,000 I will pay for a membership,
provided I can afford one.
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tod
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response 61 of 334:
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Sep 30 19:38 UTC 2010 |
The mission doesn't need money as much as it needs volunteers, imo
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kentn
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response 62 of 334:
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Sep 30 19:40 UTC 2010 |
Thanks, John. That gives us some idea of the elasticity of demand.
Otherwise we are just gambling that people will step up when needed,
which from what I've seen recently, isn't a good bet.
Anyway, if you or others are interested, we're trying to give the board
some authority to set the dues, as well as lower the dues to make
becoming a member easier.
Also being proposed are changes to the size of Grex's board and to the
size of the quorum needed.
Now or very soon would be a good time to get a membership so you can
vote on those proposals.
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kentn
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response 63 of 334:
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Sep 30 19:52 UTC 2010 |
Yes we need volunteers, but we will need the money to pay the bills at
a minimum. With lower dues, it will take many more members to reach
the point of breakeven on our bills, I expect. So, we're likely to
continue trending down in bank balance for a while yet. Bear in mind,
any capital expenditures are unplanned for at this point, so we aren't
expecting to use our cash for any huge purchases. And we'd like to
keep some cash in reserve for unplanned events.
So, back to volunteers, who is volunteering to help grex?
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richard
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response 64 of 334:
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Sep 30 20:17 UTC 2010 |
If no new ideas are workable and this place is soon to be unviable
financially, maybe the time has come to accept it. Next year will be
Grex's 20th anniversary. Grex opened to the public on July 18, 1991.
The board could always vote that July 18, 2011, the twentieth birthday
of Grex, is when it ends. Spend the time between now and then
celebrating everything Grex has been for two decades. Have a big
blowout party that day and by midnight on 7/18/11, Grex goes offline.
There would be one more board meeting after that to formally dissolve
the corporation and donate whatever money is left to charity.
Grex would be going out on its own terms, rather than continue to die a
slow death and just disappear one day. Twenty years I am sure is a lot
longer than any of the founders, or anyone else, thought grex would
last. All things end, it doesn't have to be a big deal. It is just
better that when something does end, that it ends with peace and
acceptance. Maybe it is the end for Grex. If it is, lets just do it
right.
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rcurl
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response 65 of 334:
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Sep 30 20:27 UTC 2010 |
Don't knock good ideas from those that can't or won't implement them. Yes,
I know that most people only like their OWN ideas (which be definition are
good), but it is more useful to put all good ideas on the table for
consideration, regardless of the source.
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jep
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response 66 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:11 UTC 2010 |
re resp:61: I agree but don't have time to give.
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keesan
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response 67 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:11 UTC 2010 |
Grex does not seem dead to me.
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mary
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response 68 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:31 UTC 2010 |
Re: #59 I love it when Tod talks about hostility and coleslaw in the same
sentence. So much anger channeled through cabbage. ;-)
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slynne
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response 69 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:33 UTC 2010 |
resp:65 FWIW, explaining to someone who is demanding that his ideas be
implemented that the reason they aren't being implemented is because no
one has the time or inclination to carry them out is not the same thing
as knocking the idea or saying that it isnt a good idea.
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richard
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response 70 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:36 UTC 2010 |
re #69 don't interpret someone *SUGGESTING* an idea as the same thing
as *DEMANDING* an idea. Please. A suggestion is just that, a
suggestion.
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twinkie
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response 71 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:40 UTC 2010 |
I am also suggesting that Grex get a million dollars.
The fact that I'm insisting that not having a million dollars is proof
positive that the sky is falling, and that my awesome idea would have saved
everything if you'd only do what I say, doesn't change the fact that I'm not
*demanding* anything. Why, the mere implication is absurd!
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slynne
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response 72 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:41 UTC 2010 |
richard, seriously, twinkie has you pegged in this regard. I am willing
to accept that you don't intend to sound as obnoxious as you do. But you
sound pretty demanding to me most of the time.
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richard
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response 73 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:52 UTC 2010 |
re #71, 72 thats bs. someone suggesting an idea, with enthusiasm, is
not being obnoxious. Neither of you are helping grex by over-reacting
to such posts.
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twinkie
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response 74 of 334:
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Sep 30 21:59 UTC 2010 |
I don't know why you're lumping me in there.
I am very enthusiastic about Grex getting a million dollars. I'm being quite
helpful, in fact, and here you go, shooting down my wonderful idea!
And believe you me, I'm not being obnoxious when I tell you that's wrong.
WRONG, WRONG, WRONG!
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kentn
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response 75 of 334:
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Sep 30 22:12 UTC 2010 |
I've seen a lot of good suggestions, by the way, and am trying to keep
an open mind about which ones we can reasonably do. Keep entering them
as you think of them. It's getting agreement and the implementation
that take time (and Grex is known to move slowly on both counts). We
are working on some ideas even now (such a determining feasibility and
who could do things). Enthusiasm is needed more than ever, along with
a sense of urgency about getting things accomplished quickly that will
help improve Grex before it's too late (and I don't think it's too late
yet).
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kentn
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response 76 of 334:
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Sep 30 22:21 UTC 2010 |
Hey, it'd be great if we'd get a million dollars and there probably
are ways to do that legally (e.g. a grant). twinkie, do you have
any line on how we could go about it?
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cross
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response 77 of 334:
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Oct 1 05:06 UTC 2010 |
I'll help Grex when I get back from Afghanistan next month.
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tsty
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response 78 of 334:
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Oct 1 09:22 UTC 2010 |
got an email faorm a newly validated newuser, rust, wheo said (and approved
the posting of his email):
> Thanks. Been here before. For years and years. But, I kinda let the account
lapse having my Debian boxen available.
>
> Grex is HIGHLY useful for checking what robots see, text only browsing with
lynx, checking yer DNS from someplace else, all kinds of things that only a
remote connection can offer. But, since I farmed out hosting to another
company instead of doing it myself (and paying outrageous prices for
dedicated connections)... it just isn't what I used to do.
>
> Heck, I remember when you guys used to cry for parts. I guess I can toss
those 30 pin RAM modules now.
>
... thoight yu;d all like to know ...
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kentn
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response 79 of 334:
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Oct 1 11:44 UTC 2010 |
Re 77: Thanks, sounds good, Dan!
Re 78: Several more things to add to the list of "what can you do on grex?"
I'm glad to see a former user come back. We need more people like that, as
well as new users.
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tsty
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response 80 of 334:
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Oct 1 20:22 UTC 2010 |
r e 79 ... proactive validatoin at werk.
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