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Can I ask what people who have replied affirmatively to Tom’s suggestion that the board open registration what they, realistically, expect it to achieve in terms of the board’s ongoing existence, and on what timeframe? I mean, I can understand the argument “Well, it can’t hurt now”, but then I’m one of those many unlikely to have to deal directly with the negative consequences mentioned above. Are there a slew of potential applicants that are currently being dissuaded from joining solely by the current admissions process? Do people think it would contribute to solving such problems as the rigidity of assumed roles that Zippy identified, the loss of momentum and focus, the exodus of several long-standing members and the disillusionment of multiple others still present who decreasingly feel like there’s any point to starting new conversations? Are people really going to rush back to re-engage because they heard on the grapevine that the admissions were opened up, or will they be more likely to go “Well, good luck with that...”?
Basically, if we suddenly fling the gates wide open, are we expecting a sudden shot in the arm from the next generation of the type of posters Flyboy describes on the previous page, who have been attracted by… what exactly? Our history? Our reputation in various areas? I’m sorry if that sounds dismissive but it sounds like an unreasonable weight of expectation to place on any individuals attracted to the site as it currently stands. With time perhaps a sufficient number of new members might establish a new (social) structure and equilibrium on the board but under the current conditions where access to certain key powers resides with someone who no longer significantly engages with the board I’m worried that the patience and goodwill of those being asked to carry out increasing janitorial duties while the board transitions (possibly into a purely comics discussion forum - Barbelith in its uninterrupted form) will finally be exhausted, not to mention that the issue of that dependence on an absent administrator will remain, and any remaining members will have to endure the lack of freedom to change the board’s general structure.
If we open up the registration and the proposed banning procedures don’t function as optimally as hoped, I suppose the board could be put back on the life support of those members who are still persevering and the trickle currently coming in, but that seems to be a limited proposition. None of this is to suggest that an open registration is necessarily a bad thing, but to ask how helpful it is now to Barbelith’s currently stalled state, when it’s not part of a suite of changes that devolve power to those engaging with the board. Currently I’d concur with Randy that opening up the board without simultaneously granting at the very least the independence to eject trolls and… other things… from the board, which has been categorically rejected so far, is, if not potentially disastrous, then certainly likely to further alienate those members who take on the responsibility for clearing up the mess, with unclear benefits. |
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