[wlug_org] Online Voting & Wellylug monies etc....

[Jethro Carr]

On Sun, 2004-08-08 at 20:48, Wood Brent wrote:

> I personally do not at all like the idea of major decisions being made by
> online poll.
> 
> The main reason is that one of the mainstays of democratic decisions is
> dialogue & discussion.
> 
> I know many times I have changed my opinion before casting a vote, due to well
> put arguments which convinced me. I don't believe the entire membership can get
> as much out of a web based discussion as a debate at a meeting. While
> considered points can be made well on the list, a rapid fire discussion between
> people at a meeting can IMHO, in a few minutes replace screeds of emails (which
> I can well do without, & I'm sure Michael & others don't need more of my books
> :-)
> 
> While a good list debate prior to a meeting is certainly very valuable, it
> shouldn't replace open dialogue at a meeting. If someone can't make a meeting &
> desires to vote, I see no problem with proxy voting. The membership at large
> has shown a clear preference not to get involved with org issues. If we are
> going to require them to do so by effectively moving wlug_org to wellylug so
> the cabal discussions are fully open & shared, I think there will be more than
> a few resignations from the wellylug list. Members don't seem opposed to a
> debate & vote at a meeting, at least not from the one's I've attended.
> 
> If anyone disagrees, then I suggest we use the currently accepted approach of 
> working through the issues on the org list, then have a general vote at a
> meeting before deciding among ourselves that a poll or online voting in some
> way, should replace the current system. But we need to use the currently
> accepted system to making the decision- a vote at a meeting.

The problem is some people who can't or don't attend the meeting. Eg:
some people from the Hutt don't come to the wellington meeting, or only
use the mailing list. (as you've pointed out)

You could still discuss at the meetings, show your point, and then say
'Go home, think about it & when your ready go to the site and vote on
it.'. This lets you debate your points, but also allows people to think
it over, and allows people who missed the meeting to get their say. It's
also much more accurate than a hand count, and give more nervous people
a chance to vote about what they care about, rather than being dragged
along by the crowd.



> IMHO your head's in the sand if you believe that if we spend the $$ we have
> right now on a meal the issue of Wellylug & $$ has been solved for eternity. So
> solve the general situation, then apply the solution to the current instance,
> otherwise next time we go through the whole exercise again. (I'm sure there is
> a good programming paradigm to this effect :-)


#!/usr/bin/perl

while ()
{
	print "We have money. We must spend it.\n";
	sleep 2;
	print "What shall we spend it on?\n";
	sleep 2;
	print "We will vote!\n";
	sleep 2;
	print "We have made a decision!\n";
	sleep 2;
}

;-)


-- 
-- Jethro

dodocaptain@paradise.net.nz

http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/jethroc
http://homepages.paradise.net.nz/jethroc/cv.html

http://www.wellylug.org.nz