Jun 14-20 1999

From merope@Radix.Net Mon Jun 14 15:05:16 1999

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 15:05:15 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

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Over the top...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Saturday 12 June 1999:

Ginger Cisewski forwards her statement of resignation from the Election

Committee to the Board list. [its been sent to most project lists and

won't be repeated here].

BS Bill also forwards Ginger's statement of resignation to the Board list.

The Archives representative offers to make available to anyone who's

interested the thread [or "claptrap" as he calls it] leading up to

Ginger's statement of resignation.

A Board member publishes a message under the subject "More Thoughts". This

has also been widely published on project mailing lists, but some of

it bears repeating:

"How can some of us be so convinced that an entity is good and special,

while others of of us are equally convinced it is evil. We all see the

same things, share the same world... We can choose to be a team and work

with the resources that we have, including Rootsweb and be the best that

we can be, or we can splinter into groups that are constantly in

conflict, spend more days arguing and complaining rather than working on

our sites."

Tomorrow's News Today: A call on motion 99-16E is declared failed by the

NC and the motion goes back to discussion phase; more discussion of

election committee rules.

Election Update: Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman has joined the fray; she'll be

running for NW/P CC rep.

We hear that Rootsweb will be running our election again.

National Coordinator Tim Stowell has responded to the "DBS election

update" published yesterday in which was discussed some of the issues

behind Ginger's resignation as Election Committee Chair. Tim says:

1) At no time did he ask for election list passwords, but did ask to

subscribed to the lists, since according to the bylaws he is an ex-officio

member of the Election Committee.

2) In regards to the issue of people nominating others to positions outside the

nominator's region, he states that he asked only to know if and when this

had happened and the names of the nominees. He did not ask for the name

of the nominators.

3) In regard to the perception that he is not available for Board

business, he states that due to his work schedule he is not always

available during the day to attend to his email, and that business is

often rushed the motion and discussion phases, sometimes in a matter of

hours or over the weekends. He will not apologize for taking time with

his wife and his life outside of the project.

Unsubstantiated Rumor Corner: We hear that a very prominent former Board

member has been banned from posting to his RW mailing lists over the

"county resource" flap.

A Rumor Substantiated Corner: Rootsweb staff member Nancy Trice has posted

to at least one state list that Rootsweb has filed non-profit

incorporation papers, possibly in California [although the name of this

non-profit is not known]. According to Nancy, the papers were returned

for revision and should have been resubmitted either on Friday or today.

The for-profit company will be for the other "communities" Rootsweb

intends to host, and the non-profit will be for genealogy. As another RW

staffer has been heard to say recently on this topic [paraphrased]: "just

because you can't find it doesn't mean it isn't there." [To which we might

respond "why all the secrecy?"]

Please note, folks, this is NOT the 501(c)(3) filing we've all heard so

much about over the last couple of years. That filing would allow

contributors to RW to claim tax deductions for their RW 'donations', at

least over and above the services they receive in exchange for them.

Based on admittedly sketchy information, it looks like there might end up

being three Rootswebs: the for-profit sole proprietorship Rootsweb

Genealogical Data Cooperative, the for-profit Rootsweb.com, Inc., and the

as-yet-unnamed non-profit corporation.

I'm sure they'll let us know when they're good and ready.

"A community is like a ship; everyone ought to be prepared to take the

helm."

--- Henrik Ibsen

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

------------

From merope@Radix.Net Mon Jun 14 21:29:37 1999

Date: Mon, 14 Jun 1999 21:29:36 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Clarification--DBS

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Hi all,

The NC has requested that I clarify something from the DBS today:

He says, "

"When point number 3 above came into question - someone has/had apparently

nominated someone for a region that the person doing the nominating could

not vote in - I asked "Out of curiosity has this happened in this

nomination period and if so, what position?" - Notice that I didn't ask

who did the nominating or who the candidate was. I didn't ask for names -

just positions. No names - of either the candidate or the nominee."

Thanks, Tim, for the clarification, and my apologies for any

misunderstanding.

-Teresa

merope@radix.net

From merope@Radix.Net Tue Jun 15 14:03:22 1999

Date: Tue, 15 Jun 1999 14:03:20 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

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MIME-Version: 1.0

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Just one big happy family ... its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk.

Sunday 13 June 1999:

The NC posts the history of Motion 99-16E, made June 9 in "executive

session" [secret list]. The motion was made and seconded and opened for

discussion; the motion was called; 7 voted yes on the call, 2 voted no,

3 abstained, and 3 did not vote. Since the 2/3 majority needed to pass

the all was not obtained, the motion was put back on the floor for

discussion.

Text of Motion 99-16E:

"moved that the USGenWeb Bylaws be clarified as such:

1) the "regions" remain as they are for another year.

2) An eligible voter in good standing is eligible to hold an advisory

board position for the region for which they volunteer.

3) Nominations for regional advisory board seats must come from an

eligible voter FROM THAT REGION.

4) In addition to the positions of National Coordinator and Member at

Large, eligible voters will vote for their choice of nominees for the

vacancies for the region in which they volunteer."

["Clarifying" the bylaws?! Wouldn't that require a vote of the project

membership?]

A Board member posts a message in which he asks a number of questions

pertaining to the election: Can a person nominate themselves? Why is it

necessarily wrong for someone to nominate someone in a different region

from themselves? What happens if no one runs for the open seats? Does the

Board get to pick someone?

The Archives representative apologizes for his earlier post offering to

forward the thread leading to Ginger's resignation as Electioin Committee

Chair to anyone who wanted to see it.

Tomorrow's News Today: Jim Powell offers to chair the election committee.

Deja Vu All Over Again Corner: New CEO and President of Rootsweb.com,

Inc. has shown his support for the Rootsweb Way by banning his very first

member. This person has been banned for speaking out publicly about RW's

business practices following the turmoil surrounding the announcement of

the new "resource boards". Says Robert Tillman, RW CEO, "Based on your

letter to me, I believe that any continuing relationship with RootsWeb

would only result in your further disappointment. Therefore, I have

permanently revoked your permission to access the RootsWeb site."

[Welcome to the club!]

Election Update: Gary Martens and Roger Swafford have accepted nominations

to run for At-Large representative. David Morgan has dropped out of the

race for SW/SC Rep. Teresa Lindquist has accepted the nomination to run

for SW/SC CC rep.

Today is the last day for nominations. Several positions have nominees

that are running unopposed, and one position has no nominees yet (SE/MA SC

rep). Please get your nominations in or even consider running yourself!

I hear the Elections Committee is short-handed. Please consider helping

them out, even if just by offering to help acquire and verify email

addresses. They need to get all addresses to RW by the end of next week

(June 24) so RW can make up all the ballots. In the absence of a

committee chairman, I recommend sending any offers to volunteer to your SC

or CC rep. They will see that the correct person gets it.

"Power concedes nothing without demand... Find out just what people will

submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice which will

be imposed upon them... The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the

endurance of those whom they oppress."

-- Frederick Douglass

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

----------

From merope@Radix.Net Wed Jun 16 14:07:13 1999

Date: Wed, 16 Jun 1999 14:07:12 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

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Gossip rag to the stars...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Monday 14 June 1999:

The NC asks for volunteers to head the Elections Committee. One Board

member recommends a member from his region if it wouldn't be a conflich

of interest (the NC says it would be only if she were running for one of

the open positions; one board member says she too busy; Jim Powell offers

to Chair the committee.

Regarding the elections rules: One Board member notes that there is

nothing to keep someone from nominating themselves, and notes that in her

state they just ask if anyone wants to run to let them know and they'll

see to it they get nominated.

Tomorrow's News Today: Motion 99-17, to accept Trey Holt's resignation,

is moved and seconded and the floor is opened for discussion.

Election Update: The Nominations period has closed. Nominations are as

follows:

NC: Bill Oliver, Fred Smoot, Tim Stowell

Archives: Joe Zsedney

At-Large: Gary Martens, Roger Swafford

NE/NC SC rep: Ginger Hayes, David Young

NE/NC CC: Ron Eason, Tina Vickery, Nate Zipfel

NW/P SC: Lynn Waterman

NW/P CC: Maggie Stewart-Zimmerman

SE/MA SC: Shari Handley

SE/MA CC: Terri Pettit

SW/SC CC (2 positions): Larry Flesher, Teresa Lindquist, Gloria Mayfield

Note that several positions are unopposed. I assume this list is final,

but if there were further nominations late last night it might not be.

There have been some questions raised about voter eligibility. Seems at

least one SC has forwarded to the Election Committee that name of someone

who, according to the bylaws, is not eligible to vote for either CC or SC

rep in her region. She is, instead, an Archives file manager [hmmm...we

don't get to vote in their election, should they get to vote in ours if

they aren't CC/SCs?]

New Lease On Life Corner: There has been a VERY NICE redesign of the USGW

Home page! My compliments to the designer;the page really looks nice and

is very well-organized.

Jumping Ship Corner: We hear that at least one Board member

hs unsubscribed himself from Board-Exec, saying that he "things were going

better when the Board was using Board-L, and things were more open.

Sometimes you have to make a stand on what you believe." [how refreshing!]

This Board member may be resigning soon, since he told his constituents

that he may not be able to fully represent them and has asked for their

input. [lets hope they support him fully in this move.]

At least one State Coordinator has moved the state mailing list off of RW

and onto another server. She subbed all her CCs to the new list and

"closed" her old list and notified RW. RW promptly resubbed everyone and

sent out a message indicating the list was still open for business.

We also hear of at least two states that are moving their pages off of RW,

and of several counties, all apparently to do with continuing concern over

the "county resources".

Clean Bill of Health Corner: A USGW member has contacted the CA Attorney

General's office regarding RootsWeb's filing for non-profit status and

reports "the Attorney General's office has looked at Rootweb and has

found NOTHING to cause that office to believe any illegalities have

occured." Additionally, she reports, the AG's office "has looked

into whether Rootsweb is attempting to establish a nonprofit corporation

in addition to its already formed for-profit, Rootsweb.com, Inc. and has

*confirmed* Rootsweb's attempt to form a separate nonprofit IS IN

PROGRESS. During the process of trying to set up the nonprofit, some forms

and procedures apparently did not meet approval which is NOT ususual, and

these are expected to be resubmitted." The representative indicated "she

found nothing to cause her to believe approval would not occur."

"All bad precedents began as justifiable measures."

--Gaius Julius Caesar

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

---------

From merope@Radix.Net Thu Jun 17 21:17:55 1999

Date: Thu, 17 Jun 1999 21:17:54 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

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Fight the power...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Deal with it, and read at your own

risk!

Tuesday 15 June 1999:

A motion is made to accept Trey Holt's resignation, effective Aug 31 1999.

The motion is seconded, given the number 99-17, and the floor is opened

for discussion. There isn't much discussion on this topic, except that

regrets are expressed by several of his colleagues.

The NC posts a "last call for nominations" [sent to most project lists].

[Guess we're never going to hear what happened with Motion 16-E]

Election update: Although the period for nominations has closed,

nominees have until 12:00 PM PDT, 22 June 1999 to send in their acceptance

notices [note that that is NOON, folks, although I have a received a

personal notice that the due date is 12:00 midnight 22 June 1999, which is

one mintue after 11:59 pm 22 June].

New candidates include: former Board member Holly Timm for At-Large [Holly

originally resigned from the board for health reasons; we are glad to see

she has recovered!].

There has apparently been no action by the Board on SE/MA CC rep Jim

Powell's offer to chair the Elections Committee and the committee

apparently remains leaderless with only about two weeks to go until the

voting opens.

A Stealth Resignation? Bridgett Smith, SC rep for the SE/MA region has

apparently resigned her seat. As State Coordinator, she was elected to a

two year term, and her position should not be on the on the ballot until

next year. Indeed, her position was not originally on the ballot, but was

quietly added sometime after the nominations period opened. Sources on

the Board tell me that she "reminded" them that her position was over.

She also posted as such to her regional list. Her expertise and experience

on the Board will be missed, but we hear she has other irons in the fire

these days and wish her well.

[if I am misremembering, and any SC reps _were_ elected to one year terms,

someone please let me know. After many emails last evening, I can't find

anyone who remembers any position other than a CC rep in each region and

the NC being for a one-year term.]

In the news: Word on the grapevine is that a soon-to-be-former Board

member will shortly be joining the staff of Rootsweb.

What's Yours IS Mine Corner: Aging hippy, Brian "All Mine" Leverich has

published his "Common Sense Acceptable Use Policy" [well, I'm sure its

common sense from where he is standing]. Among the many provisions of

this acceptable use policy is the following:

" (3) ROOTSWEB MAY ARCHIVE AND REDISTRIBUTE. So we can provide current and

future users with access to your posts, by posting here you do give

RootsWeb a permanent license to archive and redistribute those posts.

This policy may be superseded in specific circumstances by other

commitments made by RootsWeb."

It appears that this item pretty much gives Rootsweb.com, Inc., a

_permanent_ license to do whatever they wish with your posts to _any_

Rootsweb resource, whether its the GenConnect boards, the mailing lists,

the RSL, etc. It very possibly includes the USGW Archives.

Since this policy was posted late last night, it should be possible for

you to request that all your postings made prior to this announcement be

removed. IANAL, but it doesn't seem likely that the policy can be applied

retroactively. It might also be a good idea to insure that your list

members receive a copy of this AUP and that its posted prominently near

your GenConnect Boards. It is, after all, only fair to warn people. Don't

forget that not all that long ago, RW was considering putting the RSL on

CDs and selling it; with this new policy in place, there is apparently

nothing to prevent them from doing the same with any data on their server.

Abracadabra Corner: In possibly related news, we hear that some RW mailing

lists that have been unarchived nearly since their inception, have

suddenly had all their posts show up in the mail list archives [its like

magic!] and that some "resubscriptions" to mailing lists have occurred

[presto!]. I myself seem to have found my way mysteriously back onto the

RWR distribution list. I received last night's little gift in my personal

mailbox, something that hasn't happened since I was banned.

Unfortunately, the RWR is an opt-out bulk mailing [you get it if you

are subscribed to any RW mailing lists and have to unsubscribe yourself].

It is produced by a for-profit company and contains unsolicited and

unwanted advertisement and solicitations for funds. I cannot unsubscribe

from it nor send mail to the ISP [yes, I have tried, and my unsubscribe

request bounces back with an "access denied" notice].

Public Service Announcement #1: For those of you that are unhappy

with receiving Unsolicited Bulk Email and/or Unsolicited Commercial

Email [UBE/UCE] in your personal email, there are remedies available.

Under US Code Title 47, Sec.227(a)(2)(B), a computer/modem/printer meets

the definition of a telephone fax machine. By Sec.227(b) (1)(C), it is

unlawful to send any unsolicited advertisement to such equipment. UBE/UCE

is also illegal under United States Public Law 103-414 Section 303(a)(11),

it is unlawful "to use any telephone facsimile machine, computer, or other

device to send an unsolicited advertisement."

UBE/UCE can be reported to the Federal Trade Commission

(http://www.ftc.gov), the Better Business Bureau

[http://www.bbb.org/complaints/file.html], the State Attorney General and

to various "cyber watchdogs" who maintain lists of those reported to send

UBE/UCE (The Coaliton Against Unsolicited Commercial Email

(http:www.cauce.org) is a good place to start]. You should also report

the sender of the UBE/UCE to their ISP and to your ISP as well. Most

reputable ISPs will take any means necessary to block spammers from using

their systems to send UBE/UCE and many will block known offenders from

sending UBE/UCE to their customers.

[PLEASE NOTE: This information is provided for your information only. I

am not suggesting or encouraging or recommending that anyone do any of

these things, but you can if you want.]

Public Service Announcement #2: Nostalgic for the old days at RW

when there were no banner ads? Don't like those annoying cookies?

A reader has let me know that Internet Junkbusters has a free program you

can install to get rid of them while you surf, and also helps prevent the

disclosure of other details that you may want kept private, such as

information about the page clicked on, and your computer's software and

hardware configuration. Its available at:

http://www.junkbusters.com/ht/en/ijb.html. [I'm not affiliated with

these folks in any way; this info is provided FYI only.]

"Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present

controls the past."

---George Orwell

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

-----------------

From merope@Radix.Net Fri Jun 18 15:57:22 1999

Date: Fri, 18 Jun 1999 15:57:20 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.990618061545.15671A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

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Bibbidy bobbidy boo...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains editorial content. Read at your own risk!

Wednesday 16 June 1999:

Voting commencies on Motion 99-17, to accept Trey Holt's resignation

effective Aug 31 1999. By the end of the day 13 members had voted "aye".

[Looks like this one has passed <g>]

In a message posted by Board Secretary Bill Oliver, the group is reminded

that Motion 16E is still in discussion [this is the motion covering

election rules].

Election News: We hear a rumor that "Rootslady" [who I believe is Barbara

Dore?] will be accepting the nomination for SW/SC CC rep. We also hear

the Election Committee consists of one hard working person right now, and

no Chair. Please, consider volunteering to help with the election.

Two proposals for bylaws amendments were posted by Ginger Hayes to

numerous project lists last evening. They were passed by the CCs in IL,

and are as follows:

======

Amendment I

Article IX, Sec. 3:

In the interests of diversity, independence and autonomy of The USGenWeb

Project, state and county coordinators are encouraged to utilize a

variety of servers as hosts of their webpages. An attempt shall be made

by the national Advisory Board to avoid utilizing any one server

organization for hosting more than 40% of the total number of USGenWeb

Project web pages.

=======

Amendment II

Article IX, Sec. 4:

While realizing that a variety of indexing and storage methods exist for

queries, obituaries, wills, archival documents etc., The USGenWeb Project

strongly recommends that county and state coordinators maintain control

over these items after they are submitted to the USGenWeb Project or its

subsidiary state and county pages. Therefore, links for submitting items

to sites outside of The USGenWeb Project are strongly discouraged, unless

the links themselves remain under the control of The USGenWeb Project

coordinators.

===========

[Unfortunately, I think these proposed amendments are moot. According to

the bylaws they needed to be submitted to the Board for dissemination to

the project no later than June 1, as a 30 day posting period is required.]

YOU Figure It Out Corner: Brian "Dumb Animal" Leverich has informed the

many people that are asking questions about the new AUP that they "have a

much more accurate and comprehensive response in the RWR if interest seems

to justify it." [this means, I take it, there's a more accurate version

floating around. We do hope he decides to share it with us.] He also

claims that this is the same AUP that RW has always operated under, but

one posted in 1997 by him is much shorter and simple and makes no mention

of their "right to distribute" information on their server however they

see fit.

Its not very clear to many readers who exactly this AUP covers. Does it

cover only listowners, GC/RW board admins, and people with home pages on

RW, who will presumably be asked to affirmatively agree to it as a

condition of being allowed to use the resources? Or does it apply to

everyone who might visit a GC board to post a query, or USGW county page,

or sub to a list, who may never even know such an AUP exists or what its

terms are? IF the latter, who is responsible for seeing to it that each

and every mailing list subscribee, GC/RW board user, home page visitor,

RSL contributor, ship's list transcriber, ODT submitter, etc., sees and

gets a chance to agree to this AUP _before_ they give their data over [or

say something which gets them banned <g>]. Tune in next week, folks, and

keep asking those questions. Apparently we only get "accurate" and

"comprehensive" information if we ask for it.

"I would never lie. I willfully participated in a campaign of

misinformation."

---Fox Mulder, X files

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

----------

From merope@Radix.Net Sat Jun 19 09:22:27 1999

Date: Sat, 19 Jun 1999 09:22:26 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

Message-ID: <Pine.SV4.3.96.990619083132.14894A-100000@saltmine.radix.net>

MIME-Version: 1.0

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Status: O

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Ask me no questions, I'll tell you no lies...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains free thought and editorial content. Read at your own

risk!

Thursday 17 Jan 1999:

BS Bill posts the current vote status of Motion 99-17 [to accept Trey

Holt's resignation]. It stands at 13 ayes, 0 nays, and 2 not voting.

A board member posts the proposed bylaws amendments twice [already posted

here yesterday].

Tomorrow's News Today: The Board discusses the Election Committee, or lack

thereof, and the proposed bylaws amendments.

Correction Corner: Bridgett Smith has forwarded to me a post from Kay

Mason that was sent to the State Coordinators following last year's

election. It clearly indicates that both she and Terry Davis [former NW/P

SC rep] were elected to one year terms. So, I stand corrected on that.

Thanks Bridgett for the clarification!

Letter to The Editor Corner: A reader writes:

"How can we, as the USGenWeb Project, make sure that *all* of the ballots

returned during the upcoming USGenWeb election (July 01-31, 1999) will be

*accurately tallied* and duly recorded in a fair and impartial manner?

Who is to say that Joe or Jane Coordinator's ballot won't be 'accidentally

not counted' (read: 'banned', 'deleted') from the election procedures,

thus eliminating them from the election of *USGenWeb* candidates for

*USGenWeb* positions.

Given the events which have taken place between rootsweb and USGenWeb

within the last six- to eight-month period (lack of open and explicit

communication, personal bannings by four - no, now make that FIVE - known

USGenWeb participants, etc.), how can *ANY* county coordinator within this

project be _comfortable_ voting in an election being conducted by an

entity which has demonstrated the incapability to be inclusive?

The USGenWeb 'authorities' would be well-advised to seek an independent

tallying method - independent of the rootsweb potential for influence. The

county coordinators deserve a fair and impartial election method. It

doesn't seem like that would be possible with the current 'election

service' suppliers."

Sleeping With the Devil Corner: Rootsweb is now carrying advertising from

Microsoft [actually, MSN Expedia, which I think is Microsoft's travel

service]. Can it only have been a year ago when Brian

"MakeMoneyFast.com" Leverich said "The only contact RootsWeb has ever had

with Microsoft was when one of their engineers called us and said they'd

noticed "RootsWeb is one of the larger sites on The Net and wondered if

(we) needed any free help with Microsoft products". I laughed, told them

"(they) had *nothing* RootsWeb needed", and hung up." [31 Mar 1998]

Just so You Know Corner: Rootsweb now has a prominent link [right above

the one that tells you how to buy advertising] to its new "inaccurate" and

"not comprehensive" Acceptable Use Policy on its front page. Presumably,

all visitors to the web page are responsible for reading it prior to using

RW's resources. Similar links to the AUP don't appear to exist on the

front pages [or subsidiary pages] of RW's resources, so apparently

folks that come into RW other than through the front page are out

of luck. Remember to keep those cards and letters coming; we only get to

see the "accurate and comprehensive" one if we express interest in it!

"When a fellow says it ain't the money but the principle of the thing,

it's the money."

---Artemus Ward

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lindquist

merope@radix.net

-------------

From merope@Radix.Net Sun Jun 20 10:21:27 1999

Date: Sun, 20 Jun 1999 10:21:26 -0400 (EDT)

From: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

Reply-To: merope <merope@Radix.Net>

To: usgw_all@listbot.com

Subject: Daily Board Show

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Now Banned for eternity!...its Your Daily Board Show!

*warning* contains absolutely shameless amounts of editorial content.

Read at your own risk!

Friday 18 June 1999:

A Board member posts a reminder that state voting lists are due to Tim

Pierce by June 24th but there is no place to send them. She also that the

project "still [has] no chair for the Elections Committee, and I believe

this committee is down to one (1) person. How long do you think this

committee of one will turn into a committee of none?" She concludes that

if the board doesn't start taking appropriate action and July 1 rolls

around and there are no ballots, "a crucfixion may be called for."

Another Board member notes that she is accepting voter lists for her

region; this should be OK as she is not a candidate. A third Board member

offers to help however she can.

A Board members posts questions regarding the proposed bylaws amendments

to his colleagues:

"1) Amendments to be posted 30 days before the election? This would mean

before June 1st, Right?

2) Five States required to co-sponsor the Amendment. At this point we have

only one State, Right?

3) If this is urgent the Board could vote to put it on the Ballot. We

have a little over a week before the election, but will 2/3 of the Board

agree that this is urgent?"

He suggests that the Board could call a special election once these

amendments have 5 co-sponsoring state, and he quotes the bylaws on the

subject of amendments to the bylaws.

============

Election Update: We hear the Board has finally got around to responding

to Jim Powell's offer to Chair the Election Committee. We think Jim will

make a fine Chair and hope he is still willing to take on the position.

The Sweet Hereafter Corner: According to Joan Young [who is not a RW

staff member, apparently, but plays one on numerous lists], a certain

someone has been "banned from RootsWeb (probably for life and beyond)".

It is comforting to know that even in the afterlife I can look forward to

being Banned on Rootsweb. [I guess this means my offer of an apology and

a pledge to refrain from posting negative things about RW on RW-owned

lists won't be accepted?]

Meaningless Perks Corner: According to a post made by Mr. Brian "*sigh*"

Leverich to TEAM-ROOTSWEB, "under almost all circumstances, RootsWeb will

not remove material from the archives." Apparently its just too much

effort to honor your request to remove your copyrighted material from

their system. So it appears that even though you retain copyright

on your posts according to the law and the new AUP, you can't have them

removed and Rootsweb will continue to distribute them even if you

expressly ask to have them removed. Doesn't this kinda make the ownership

of copyright empty and meaningless? [Although I have been told by

someone who this happened to if you make enough noise over possible

copyright violation they will expend the effort to not only remove your

posts, but every post that even mentions your name.]

Unanswered Questions Corner: Some interesting questions have surfaced in

regards to the AUP:

1) if we don't agree to the AUP can we have our posts removed (see above)

2) Which "Rootsweb" has issued this policy--RootsWeb Genealogical Data

Cooperative, Rootsweb.com, Inc., or the as-yet-unnamed non-profit?

3) who does it apply to ? [According to Mr. Leverich in a message to the

State Coordinators, ""Post" means to post queries on GenConnect, send mail

to the lists, ftp upload files to the Web servers, ..." [the leading dots

are his, so there must be more items "post" refers to] so apparently the

AUP covers all RW users of most any kind.]

Incidentally, although it is claimed that this AUP has always existed but

is just now being written down, as recently as 30 May 1999 RW staff

member Tim Pierce was telling the listowners, "Just to clarify, we never

have had formal usage policies in the past, but we soon will have to

institute some kind of agreement."

Also, Mr. Leverich indicates again that they'll be responding to questions

in the RWR only if there's substantial interest, but remarks that "this

does *not* seem to have general interest; we've received comments and

questions from an extremely small percentage of our users." [which could

merely mean that an extremely small number of his users are even aware of

it.]

Oh, and he's also "getting *REALLY* tired of folks complaining about

things [they] do that are much friendlier and more responsible than what

anyone else does." [this may be one reason more folks don't send their

questions and concerns to RW staff; they are getting *REALLY* tired of

being whined at.]

[We'll leave aside for now the question of whether springing a

poorly-worded and legally open-ended Acceptable Use Policy on thousands of

users is either friendly or responsible.]

"Any fool can make a rule -- And every fool will mind it."

-- Henry David Thoreau

This has been your Daily Board Show.

-Teresa Lidnquist

merope@radix.net

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