discuss: HowToForge
Subject:
Re: [discuss] HowToForge
From:
"Gerardo Arnaez" ####@####.####
Date:
24 Aug 2008 23:54:13 +0100
Message-Id: <994091942-1219618448-cardhu_decombobulator_blackberry.rim.net-390289274-@bxe158.bisx.prod.on.blackberry>
Staff list what staff list?
:~:~:~:~:
Sent via The All Powerful CellPhone
-----Original Message-----
From: "Robert Spencer" ####@####.####
Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2008 00:47:26
To: ####@####.####
Subject: Re: [discuss] HowToForge
On Sun, Aug 24, 2008 at 9:38 AM, David Lawyer ####@####.#### wrote:
> On Thu, Jul 31, 2008 at 09:09:24AM +0200, Robert Spencer wrote:
>> On 7/31/08, jdd ####@####.#### wrote:
>> > Robert Spencer a ?crit :
>> >
>> >> 3. Year on year getting the least done. We have staff, some where. Or
>> >> though some haven't been seen in years. What! You say they should be
>> >> replaced if they don't get things done. Impossible, their positions
>> >> are for life and quite possibly hereditary. Plus the fact that someone
>> >> would have to figure out how to do that. No, it most definitely can't
>> >> be done.
>
> This is not the way it is.
Unfortunately this is the way it *appears* to outsiders. First
impressions count.
I was trying to spark debate by dramatizing my points hoping that some
staff would pop up and at least try to prove me wrong, sadly most of
my points have been accepted. If only by silence or the unwillingness
to factually rebut my points.
Thankfully things aren't totally as bad as I at first thought, David
Greaves kindly pointed out that the staff hide out on the staff list.
This doesn't change things for the casual observer though, it still
looks like nothing positive is happening since all they see is the
site.
I keep a private mirror of the LDP. Most of the activity I see is most
likely automated, mirroring of the magazine and MAN pages, the only
manual[?] activity I've observed is archiving of old documents and the
occasional rare update (depressingly rare in fact).
> Staff members that are not very active
> would probably gladly turn over their duties to others that they
> trust to do a satisfactory job.
How do you build trust, I see no mechanism in place to do that. Catch 22.
> But LDP has been burned before by
> giving authority to someone who misused his position.
I've read the LDP history, I know who you mean. I detest what he did.
Unfortunately having people in position of authority that don't
exercise that authority isn't helping either.
The LDP at present resembles a blocked drain, something needs to be
done, but no one knows who the plumber is or even how to contact him.
Stalemate/stagnation.
> So we can't
> just let anyone take over unless we know enough about them to conclude
> that they will likely do a good job
And how do we do that?
> and likely have the time to do it.
If you only have one person doing the job, you only have one persons
time and they only have 24 hours in the day.
We need a system in place that isn't reliant on one persons time.
> So Rick Moen was right
Flaming is wrong, it just inhibits debate.
> in criticizing this statement,
I don't recall him criticizing a specific statement/point even though I asked.
> but overdid it.
Yes.
> With few exception, people that come to the LDP and want to help may
> well make some misjudgements about LDP
That's because we aren't doing anything to actively avoid that misjudgment.
> but they need to be treated with respect and encouraged.
That's not happening and we're loosing volunteers because of it.
> We need all the help we can get.
Amen.
--
Robert Spencer
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