[atlarge-discuss] Ideas on newpanel and such

["Abel Wisman" <abel@able-towers.com>]

Despite the fact I said these things before I do want to reiterate some
matters I think are important for a new panel and I would like to see
other panel candidates react to it and of course members and subscribers
to this list.

Functions for and of the panel:

The new panel should organise this atlarge effort to the point where it
bares a resemblence of an organization, set out some major lines, decide
with the membership on important parts of the organising such as the
perhaps autonomous working groups or centralized governement of those
working groups, this should be a democratic principle, not a one man
show of any one or another, as I said before, I think that when we
achieve respectability in our organization we will attract many more
members, we will not be able to "govern" any sort of organization that
is big if we do not lay a structure.
Saying that we should have group representation in the panel would be a
miss imo as well, since that would lead to a very weird formed panel
that can go limp from misrepresentaion and have no chosen panellists.

As I see this organisation (should it grow) is as follows:

On top of all a chosen panel, for now 11 members, with workinggroups all
around on topics picked by the membership or the panel, what and whoever
starts it, panel representation on those workgroups is not a must, as
long as one person in that wg will report on progress and stance of the
workgroup, the panel will then propose the remaining membership the
outcome of that wg, with the panel's opinion on the result of that wg.

At all time it will be the total membership that rules on what to do (by
majority).
Whether we use a raise of hands or straw poll or official election by
email is up to the panel.

As members we can have any internet user from around the world, standing
up for dns related matters, but also on privacy issues, censorship,
access problems and whats more that's keeping the average user from
doing what he/she wants to do with a free internet.

It would be nice, if over time members would choose local
representation, as in any group they would like to be a member of, to
represent them on either workgroups, panel or just simply the entire
organization (example: (fiction) the green gay martians in Wladiwostock
could have one spokesperson on the maillist, yet all be a member)

I am opposed to payment by this organization to anyone for doing
anything for this group if it comes to more then the cheapest ticket to
an event where the membership feels that one or more persons of the
panel should represent them.
Ideas of having paid webmasters are outrageous with so many skillfull
people available who would be glad to offer their services for free.

Use of opensource software deminishes the need for buying software and
help from coders among our members would get us all we need.

Centralized website with at the very least 3 "local" mirrors (simple
scripting to have that done) which will all be hosted by those members
capable of hosting the kind of services needed for free (if need be a
mention of the host on the page).

In that cetral webiste links to membersites/represtatives sites etc can
be provided.

The new panel should take care of getting this organised.
The new panel should also make proposals for incorporation including
bylaws (at least 3 different proposals for structure) and organise a
vote on where to incorp. 
Once the incorporation is under way, the structure is set, now the panel
should ask the membership their wishes, do they want the panel to run
untill say the end of a 12 month term, or write out new elections
straight away.
Asking this upfront without having shown any work done or not done is
not a good idea, better to see what the panel can achieve before asking,
if after 3 months nothing has been achieved, i.e. no progress is made
then it is better to get a vote underway, if things are progressing then
better get with it.

Restricting the new panel to only write out new elections is madness and
whether that panel agrees to make this organization consists of 5 or
more "independent" organizations remains to be seen, those voting for me
do not want that I assume.

In a "real" organization the panel takes the responsibility for matters
while in office, having a webmaster + members who can do what they want
disallows the panel to f.i. publish what they feel neccesary  when they
want it which is not good.

The pyramid structure is a healthy and long since proven structure,
whatever we put below can function, but in the end the panel has to tell
the members why things went good or bad, just look at what happened with
the last panel, I shiver of the thought that committees had "their own
way" during all this, for instance; what would have happened if we had a
autonnomous polling committee, would we have had 1 or 5 separate
elections?

The amount of work looking the new panel in the face is enormous, so
large parts of ideas will be just that, ideas, proposals and trying to
get wg's together to work it out, work that might not be finished when
this panel is stepping down to make room for a new panel or stands up
for re-election, but its most important task is to make sure that there
is enough foundation to get to the stage of new elections.

As a simple example, WLS (Verisigns Wait List System) has been again
railroaded on by ICANN, despite the opposition of over 90% of the
internet occupants, we would be able to ask those previously involved
its opposition on the GA and other parts, to lead a WG who would perhaps
find a lawyer among our members who would participate and see what legal
options are open for a user-representation group to oppose this in
court. Our incapacity to organise is the source of us not participating
in that very important matter.

I hope other candidates will pick up on this and write their views so we
all know where we are going.

Kind regards

Abel





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