On Fri, Jan 2, 2009 at 12:52 AM, Vid Ayer <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:vid@svaksha.com">vid@svaksha.com</a>></span> wrote:<br><div class="gmail_quote"><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="border-left: 1px solid rgb(204, 204, 204); margin: 0pt 0pt 0pt 0.8ex; padding-left: 1ex;">
Hello All,<br>
<br>
From, <a href="http://www.linuxchix.org/founding-local-linuxchix-chapter.html" target="_blank">http://www.linuxchix.org/founding-local-linuxchix-chapter.html</a> ,<br>
"Local Linuxchix chapters are completely autonomous provided that your<br>
chapter observes the central aim of LinuxChix: "supporting women in<br>
Linux", and your chapter observes the "be polite, be helpful" rules.<br>
You can do anything you like beyond that."<br>
<br>
Unfortunately this freedom and autonomy is being misused by a select<br>
few for unknown reasons. I am aware that local issues should be<br>
solved locally but its entirely demotivating to have vitriolic abusive<br>
responses when one is trying to ensure transparency in the project. I<br>
state this because Linuxchix-India domain is currently owned by a<br>
woman who has left the group and has not communicated with LCIN for<br>
about a year now. Fwiw, previous attempts last year and more recent<br>
attempts, as is evident in the ensuing thread[1][2], resulted in a lot<br>
of vitriolic personal attacks[3] and threats to fork the group by only<br>
one person (Mr. Atul Chitnis, and there is a precedent in this regard<br>
[4]) on the basis of LC having no specific rules for chapters. That<br>
is neither polite nor helpful and our problem remains gridlocked as I<br>
said here [5] : "That said, threatening to fork the project is not the<br>
best way to behave in a community. Quoting the LC motto "Be polite, Be<br>
respectful", I'd add that "People come and go, Projects remain" and<br>
any community is made up of its people."<br>
<br>
[1] <a href="http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2008-December/001309.html" target="_blank">http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2008-December/001309.html</a><br>
[2] <a href="http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001332.html" target="_blank">http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001332.html</a><br>
[3] <a href="http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001326.html" target="_blank">http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001326.html</a><br>
[4] <a href="http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001334.html" target="_blank">http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001334.html</a><br>
[5] <a href="http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001340.html" target="_blank">http://mailman.linuxchix.org/pipermail/indichix/2009-January/001340.html</a><br>
<br>
So this is a request and a suggestion that LC draft a policy for<br>
chapters with respect to domain ownership, hosting and server access<br>
issues. Its certainly not nice to curtail freedom but misusing the<br>
freedom LC provides is not helpful and very demotivating.<br>
<br>
Since there has been no precedent like this in the 10 years of LC's<br>
existence, I'd like folks to suggest a way out of the current<br>
gridlock. I am sending this mail to the grrl-talk list so that<br>
everyone can participate and discuss the issue and its discussed<br>
publicly with archives** so we can avoid future mud-slinging and<br>
finger-pointing. In case someone has a thought to share on how to go<br>
ahead and resolve the (<a href="http://linuxchix.org.in" target="_blank">linuxchix.org.in</a>) domain and keep things in one<br>
place. Am also keeping the Indichix list in the loop so people can<br>
suggest how we go ahead from here.<br>
<br>
** NB: Grrl-talk is open to men subscribing but I'd also like to<br>
request the archives be made public (its currently only available to<br>
subscribers).<br>
<br>
Thanks for reading,<br>
--<br>
Vid</blockquote></div><br><br>Don't think making grrtalk archives public is necessary.<br><br>The problem LinuxChix-India is facing is a very simple problem. The local chapter needs a new domain name to better associate with it's parent organization LinuxChix. The problem stems/hinges on the "how" part.<br>
<br>Handling the technical/ communication parts of this move needs explanation, forming protocols, informing volunteers/ contributors. The founders/administrators of LinuxChix-India need to work on these details and consistently inform members of the organization. <br>
<br>The threads cited in your email got way out-of-whack as a result of past references/ancient history. If there were policies forbiding such "unhealthy" discussions the list administrators could have warned the concerned member ( as Hassath did). <br>
<br>LinuxChix-India has a lot of work ahead this year in terms of strengthening:<br><br>- why it exists<br>- how to encourage participation<br>- reforming guidelines/protocols for communication.<br clear="all"><br>Have the above defined will streamline these discourses.<br>
<br>-- <br>Gayathri Swaminathan<br>gpgkey: 3EFB3D39<br>Volunteer, FDP<br>