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I'm starting some fresh topics, hopefully to get some fresh thinking on a couple of issues. As daddy of this thread, I am putting down some ground rules. I think that we should be dealing only with the art of the possible, so suggestions which are entirely beyond the likely or possible scope of the technicals I think we have to discard. Tom is ultimately sole decider on what is or is not possible, of course, but I think we do have to clip our wings a little to avoid getting clogged up with explaining why we are not dedicating more attention to a beloved but utterly impractical option.
So. Applications. One of the big issues with Barbelith is that the admissions system has gone through a series of changes, and the coding and technology has not really kept up. It was open to all, then closed entirely, then open to people recommended by existing members, and now it is theoretically open to anyone who demonstrates that they actually exists - that is, who has a paid-for account, and institutional account or a long history on a blog or similar that they can demonstrate is theirs. In practice, this means.
1) Person submits their application to barbelith.apply
2) The application is reviewed. Institutional and paid-for email addresses are passed, and their names added to a list.
3) Periodically, this list is sent to Tom to send out invitations.
4) Those without institutional or paid-for email addresses are asked to provide better particulars.
Now, what's wrong with this picture? Well, first up, it is incredibly labour-intensive - for applicant and reviewer. It tilts the balance towards people with jobs. It forces people to give up personal information they may not wish to disclose. It also favours people who have the time and energy to pursue the process. It places tremendous responsibility on a very small group of people.
I would like to see the applications system fixed before anything else on Barbelith changes. I would like to discuss how people feel the applications system could be fixed. This thread is not for discussion of current applications, and any such discussion should be directed to the existing thread on joining Barbelith. I'll keep this thread open for a week, and then we can see where we are.
So. Admissions. New members - what was your experience of the admissions process? Old members - what do you want to get from the admissions process, and what would need to happen for it to be possible? |
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