I propose...

[bluesqueak]

> Pip wrote:
> On the whole, I personally see FAQ as a semi-autonomous task  
> force, free to decide for itself how and by whom its work is 
> organised.

> Tom replies:
> Since I'm already inclined to see it this way, I think that's a 
> great point, Pip!

And I meant it, too.

<Snip the details of the poll>

Like Abigail, I'm not sure *how* FAQ could be completely autonomous. 
A 'hands off' policy, where we decided that as far as possible we 
would not interfere with the way you run things, has actually been 
in operation for a while. Again, the problem is probably that we 
forgot to tell you ;-)

I think myself that FAQ is more symbiotic with HPfGU than the 
Lexicon, because the Fantastic Posts are taken from HPfGU posts. FAQ 
members are taken from the HPfGU lists. So things like list quality 
affect you - which is a good argument for a two way flow of 
information.

The problem has been that that two way flow just hasn't happened. 
Every time you ask questions, they vanish into a black hole 
(sometimes by sheer accident, which is what happened to your set of 
questions, Tom). Unfortunately, because you can't see what's going 
on, you don't know that. Tom doesn't know that loads of MEGs were 
saying 'bloody good questions'. He couldn't know, because this all 
takes place in secret.


How do we change?

*******************************************************************

Several people have asked that FAQ stick to 'things of relevance to 
FAQ'. Personally, whilst this is new to most of FAQ, for me it's 
been going on since March. 

So you have to understand that rehashing Modgate yet again tends to 
evoke thoughts of suicide in many MEGs and former MEGs. I've been 
fighting a desire to say 'Will you shut up about this, already' - 
not because I want to stop you talking, but because I'm just 
personally *so* sick of the whole subject. 

I'd like to be able to devote time to working out a new system of 
governance for MEG which is more open, more responsive, and selects 
new elves in a way that's more appropriate to a list of 10,000 
people. Spending yet more time discussing the events of March/April 
is depressing for me as a person. I understand that you folks have 
been kept in the dark too long, and want to know - but to those who 
went through it, the events here on FAQ provoke flashbacks to 
Modgate. 

So, have we told you enough? And do you have any suggestions? Being 
told 'you're doing it all wrong' is interesting, but it's not half 
as useful as - 'have you thought about doing it this way, instead?'. 

Pip