clearly no longer Re: SCN: logo ideas

[patrick fisher]

Joe,

Thanks for the feedback. I'll respond with the information I have at my disposal.
Comments follow:

The Computer Giveaway seems to be an annual thing. Please don't quote me on this,
but I'm assuming there is to be a big thing going on around this time. Ti Locke, the
SCN President, did the copy on this as she runs this program. The copy was supposed
to be put up and I it didn't happen as someone was supposed to do this. I would have
done it, but not until today,  I did not have access to the SCNA directory. I got
access and asked Ti today if she wouldn't mind sending me the copy so I can put it
up.

She redid the other sections of SCNA as well, including the volunteer section. Boy,
was that a mess! We both agreed that it should be simplified. Will keep you posted
on this. 

We have also simplified the volunteer process and made it more efficient. I have
user names and passwords to give out once I meet a volunteer who has been through
orientation. That speeds things up quite a bit.

Graphical connection: I wanted this as badly as anyone else, however PPP dial-up is
prohibitively expensive. Well, I suppose we could have it, but only so many people
at a time could dial in. Options have been explored, like talking to the local ISPs
about partnering, but many are going out of business. It's a tough business, and
it's expensive. 

Yes, this mailing list is not that bad. I am on many, and have been on many for
many, many years, nearly 13 now, and this mailing list does pretty good. We are
hashing things out now and being civil. It's a passionate issue, SCN, and people can
get passionate. But I don't see it as that bad. I really don't!

As for making things easier, FTP would be nice. Of course, we'd need a volunteer or
two to take on working on making SCN more secure for FTP to happen on a grand scale.

Please elaborate on what the editors can do. I'm new to this, as well as them, and
as gifted as they are, they or I can't guess for what else needs to be done.

The libraries are doing quite a bit to get people access and teach them. Not that we
can't do it. But if you read Wade's notes on volunteering, many people simply do not
show up for email classes, even though they have signed up. I've opened a can of
worms here, on this issue, so I will leave this issue open and not comment further.
It's something to discuss.

Yes, there are more important things than the logo, but we do what we can do with
the resources that we have.

It is imperative that we get the site updated. Potential funders have made explicit
comments about the site. If we are to get money to keep functioning, then we need to
listen. 

So, with that, I will do what I can to recruit and fix up SCN.

Let me point out that the lawsuit against SCN took a lot out of people. Took their
passion away. Similar to the way Clinton's aides were taken to court and whipped and
drained of their savings, they lost their passion and quit. I've generalized on this
point, so please don't take it as gospel. 

I was wondering what was going on for awhile. And you know, I realized that this is
a wonderful opportunity for me to do what I can at SCN. Ti Locke has been a great
deal of help, as well as the other volunteers.

Please, give us some time and you will see that things will get better.

I didn't intend this letter to be defensive or to a rebuttal in any way. Just trying
to bridge the information gap and keep everyone informed. Things will get better.
Hang in there! Bear with us! 

Thanks!
Patrick





--- Joe Mabel <jmabel at speakeasy.org> wrote:
> I don't have time right now to go all the directions I might from here; I'm just 
> going to dash off some quick notes. Please excuse any typos: bad East European 
> internet connect, usually I proofread, but I'm in a hurry to get somewhere.
> 
> Various points, heavily snipped rom earlier email
> 
> 1) Patrick, I wasn't asking you to singlehandedly fix what I see as wrong with 
> SCN(A). You asked what I ttought ghe big problems are. I answered.
> 
> 2)> Ti Locke has the Computer Giveaway program. It's tied to SCN and was supposed
> to be
> > updated on SCN, but wasn't. 
> News to me. An SCNA board member (who wiwl remain nameless) told me we no longer 
> have  a computer giveaway program worth mentihning and to removemaol mention of 
> it from the Communications page of the Crisis Resource Directory. If that is no 
> longer true, and if there is somewhere that peop le/groups in need can now apply 
> to get a computeer please pass me the info to post tpere.  If SCN(A) is devoting 
> anyignificant resources to this (which I thihk  would be very valuable) that 
> would be more than news. 
> Right now, if someone wants to help with an effort like this, as far as I can 
> tell they couldn't even look at our site & see where to volunter.
> 
> 
> 3) > > What is broken about SCN(A)? In my viev:
> > > - we seem to have lost sight of providing service for the most disadvantaged 
> > > which approximates what is available to other people.
> > 
> > Not to be critical, but could you give some specifics? 
> Yes. We provide internet connect, but nou one that will allow a graphical 
> browser.. How's that for not what nost peohle can get from the internet?
> 
> 4)> > - we have a lot of bickering, blaming, and flaming that discourages active 
> > > participation by capable people.
> > 
> > I don't really see this as a problem. Things aren't too bad for a mailing list.
> > Certainly no worse than any other.
> Then you've just worked with a buch of lousy, bickering groups. I've almost been 
> driven to quit by the tone of some of these online discussions.  Other good 
> particrpants/volunteers HAVE been driven to quit.
> I work with the Peace Heathens. We are a compareably large & diverse group. I 
> can't remember a single flame mail in 5 years except one from someone who 
> was quitting.
> 
> 5)> > - we have not become expert at deploying volunteers to maximum advantage.
> > 
> > I disagree here, from my vantage point. We've brought on some very capable topic
> > editors and they are all gung-ho for SCN. They do a remarkable job.
> The editors are fine, but if you look at our mrssion broadly, you con hardly 
> saying that te are doing the most that could be done to build for and to promote 
> our vision os what the internet and such could be.
> 
> 6) > > - we have fallen far short of our early goal of being innovators, of 
> > > constituting a model for others in using technology in service to democracy.
> > 
> > That is one bite that is bigger than I can chew. That can encompass so much.
> Fine, you aren't the one to do this. Cool. But where is t group within SCNA I 
> can hook up to work on things larger than SCN itself? ANswer: probably nowhere.
> 
> 7)> > - we do not, in my opinion, constitute one of the easiest ways to get 
> lo[Bcal,
> > > public-minded content onto the Web.
> > 
> > I don't believe it is any harder than any other site. It's not too bad. If there
> is
> > something that can be fixed, please make a suggestion and I will look at it. I
> will
> > admit, though, that making the content on SCN more concise would be very helpful
> and
> > I'm working on that!
> SCN's tools for online editing etc. are so much less good than Speakeasy's that 
> I maintain my site by building it in a directory on Speakeesy, they ftp'ing it 
> to SCN.  If I wasn't an IP, I wouldn't even have that option.
> 
> 8)> > - we have never  developed any ability at all to truly support other 
> > > likeminded endeavors.
> > 
> > Give me a list and I will take a look. Could you be a little more specific on
> this
> > issue?
> AgAin, I'm not asaing you personally to solve this. But whhat is SCNA really 
> do[Ding to help influence for the better how the City of Seattle provides 
> information on its site? WhWt aretwe dointo support computing centers at 
> comcunity centers? what are we doing to support computer access for the 
> homeless?  What are we doing to make itt possible for poor people whout a lot of 
> tech savvy to get their content onto the web in a way tha[Dt looks gosd & 
> reaches people? Answer: a little, but not much.
> 
> Anyone think these questions sound less important rhan a new logo?
> 
> JM
> 
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