Hi Roberto, Roberto Gaetano wrote Mon, 28 Apr 2008 14:27:
My recommendation would be that the Board triggers and coordinates discussion in the EURALO membership (the ALSes) for issues related to internet policy.
I entirely agree with you, Roberto, in principle.
I personally think that a f2f meeting of the Board is obviously very >useful but not absolutely necessary >to start working.
I don’t want to bore anybody with certain repetitions but this Board was/is a new group with a majority of people not even knowing each other and far more heterogeneous than other comparable groups (old hands and newbies, backgrounds, cultures etc.) Therefore you cannot just prescribe or impose a dynamic and working method which is not considered as „enabling, encouraging and useful“ by the majority of this group. What sounds quite pragmatic turned out to be wishful thinking.
(...) There are proposals on the table for the improvement of the GNSO. One of these proposals even has >the signature of ALAC, although from what I read on the mailing list there is not a real consensus on it. >The questions raised by the changes in the GNSO structure are something that directly affects the ALAC >membership, and therefore the EURALO. NARALO has decided to produce some contribution to the >debate: would it be a good idea to discuss with the European membership what are the opinions on this >subject?
I can agree again but it’s difficult to expect a second step (concentration on content) before the first one, as long as a group (board) has not yet found ITS own work dynamic. It doesn’t help to ignore this essential context and to always call it “excuses” as some old-hands do. Be assured, Roberto, this is not encouraging for newcomers – and the famous Internet Users we want to get involved – at all.
Another point where EURALO could have a leading role is in relation to privacy concerns, applied to internet policy. Considering that the EU legislation has a very strong position wrt privacy, it could be good if EURALO could come up with a statement backing up this view, that could be used in discussions like the WhoIs, Regisrar escrow, and so on.
I agree again, as a European I consider privacy concerns as among the most relevant. But let me be frank: if I could find a sponsor to invest more of my time and capacities into this work – without being obliged to earn some money in between with my professional activities – I would just do it. For the time being, it takes already a considerable portion of my „free time“ to follow some organisational necessities. It’s the contrast again between the wishful and the necessary or nice-to-have and musts ;-).
In summary, I would see a great value in EURALO discussing policy matters, and although a f2f meeting could help, maybe the best thing is to start now, in order to get the maximum benefit when people will meet in person in Paris. But it would be a big mistake to wait another two months for the f2f meeting in order to start discussing >substantive issues.
I don’t consider this as a recommendation directed personally to me only but to all of us and would appreciate the same.
Just my 2 Euro-cents ;>)
They are always welcome, Roberto ;-). Regards, Wolf comunica-ch phone +41 79 204 83 87 Skype: Wolf-Ludwig www.comunica-ch.net http://blog.allmend.ch - Digitale Allmend