Adam Peake ha scritto:
I might be misunderstanding what they actually do -- I was guessing their function was to bring together discussion from the individual ALS (like Web405) so ideas are taken from the individual level to the ALAC.
At least in Europe (but for what I've seen is the same everywhere), we're having all discussions on the -discuss lists, which are also open to individuals and everyone interested. We've just used the -als list once recently, when one ALS representative complained that messages sent through the -discuss list weren't "official" and would get lost in the discussion anyway. In any case, I see no reason why those archives shouldn't be open (even if, sometimes, there might be the need to discuss individuals for appointments in a candid way, and that's why, I guess, Nick made it private) - but I hope we're not getting into a week of discussions for the archive of a quasi-dead announcement list :-)
I should explain why I think this important. On another ALAC list (alac@icann.org, can't find the archive or I'd link to the posts)
http://atlarge-lists.icann.org/pipermail/alac_atlarge-lists.icann.org/
So I can see a time when ALAC might select Directors, and might be able to move from providing non-voting liaisons to other supporting organizations to taking on a voting role. This possibility has been mentioned by Vint and others --tentatively, with caveats--, but it seems to be there as a possibility. But I think we can be sure this won't happen unless it is clear to all that the ALS are really functioning to bring the views of Internet users.
Sure, just like the Business Constituency (which already appoints Directors) is really functioning to bring the views of the average business of the world that uses the Internet. (No offense implied to the BC - just wondering why the At Large always gets higher bars for legitimacy than anyone else.) Ciao, P.S. By the way - could you please pass me the link to the archive of the BC mailing lists? And what about those of the GAC? Did you also check whether each GAC member (let's say, their Ministry) has a properly functioning website, and whether it features anything about ICANN on its front page? I think you'd be surprised :-) -- vb. Vittorio Bertola - vb [a] bertola.eu <-------- --------> finally with a new website at http://bertola.eu/ <--------