Re: [ga] Once more into the breach....

[Joop Teernstra <terastra@terabytz.co.nz>]

At 03:47 p.m. 27/07/2002 -0700, Gary Osbourne wrote:
>At 05:09 PM 27/07/02 -0400, DannyYounger@cs.com wrote:
>
>>We have the capability of becoming a resource center that
>>can aggregate background materials and documents to rapidly
>>facilitate the learning process.  This will become highly
>>important when the policy-development process moves into
>>high gear -- the 30-45 day cycle proposed by the ERC.
>
>Quite true. However, whose responsibility is it to
>organize and maintain that resource center? Should it be
>the Chair/Alt Chair? A new and separate position? Elected?

Elected would probably be the best idea. It would transfer some of the 
responsibility of  that single maintainer to those who have elected him.
Under election rules, it would also be possible to remove one who no longer 
satisfies or for one who is burned out to retire in peace.


>One could make the case that those responsible could do
>so in such a way as to be misleading, or promote certain
>viewpoints. Factual information is neutral, its human
>manager(s) may not be.

A valid point. The idea below has value too.

>I am thinking along the lines of Usenet where there are
>numerous newsgroup FAQs made available. In some cases
>this is done by the newsgroup originator or moderator,
>in others, some one or few individuals take it upon
>themselves to do so. There are all sorts of models but
>in general I suspect that the less formal the newsgroup,
>for example in unmoderated ones and/or in alt., the
>more likely the FAQ is maintained by some one or few
>who have just taken the initiative to do so, and other
>than hopefully having some history and good reputation,
>with the group, they're just regular members. Wouldn't
>this latter model be preferable for what you are
>suggesting? Of course there are often arguments over
>who should maintain these FAQs and many newsgroups have
>two or more often dueling FAQs, but hey, it's Usenet. -g

An open webforum would enable any subscriber to post his/her own 
FAQ's.  The net effect would be similar.
A bit chaotic , but in aggregate a good set of sources to get informed.



--Joop

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