Re: Beer and Gear surprise

[abha <ahuja () wibh net>]

<rant>

*sigh* i apologize in advance for this message as i really didn't want to
get involved in this thread... i think it is a silly one.  how pathetic
are we if the only thing we can discuss is whether or not we get free
t-shirts?  don't we all have networks to run?  :)  anyway...

if folks have feedback about what they did and did not like about NANOG,
the survey form is the appropriate place to voice your opinion.  and then,
the folks who organize this wonderful conference, can take your opinion
into consideration in order to improve the next one...

as to the whole beer and gear situation, it wasn't always a part of NANOG,
but the organizing folks thought it would be a nice benefit and started
letting vendors, etc. sponsor free beer and food for the attendees who
could wander and chat with each other and maybe check out some cool
equipment.  the whole point was to increase the interaction between the
attendees and offer a social function.  the beer and the gear just
happened to be a happy side benefit.  NANOG has never tried to fill the
same sort of niches as tradeshows, etc.

In regards to Merit, how NANOG is run and organized, etc... Merit has been
running NANOG forever as part of a service to the community and has always
tried to keep the community's best interest at heart (if you don't think
this is happening, put it on your survey form) and there is no membership.
It is really quite simple, if you don't like it, you don't have to come.
There are other member-based organizations that might meet your needs.

-abha ;)

</rant>

On Thu, 22 Feb 2001, Ukyo Kuonji wrote:

> Why would someone need to buy Merit?  Nanog doesn't belong to Merit, does
> it?  Funny, I though it was the North American Network Operators' Group.
> Doesn't that imply that it collectively belongs to those of use that
> consider ourselves operators?
>
> I don't think people are getting it.  It's not about the vendorwear that was
> eliminated.  My point is that someone made a decision about the meeting
> without even informing the people that were going to attend the meeting
> beforehand.  There was no discussion about it beforehand, no information
> afterwards, and no mention of it when we signed up for the meeting.  The
> only notification that I saw was a addendum to the charter dated November
> 2000 which was as long as the original charter.
>
> My question, I guess, is this:
>
> 1)  What does Merit do for Nanog?
>
> Looks to me like they help organize the meetings (Which are funded entirely
> by registration fees and vendor donations, and are supposed to be organized
> by the hosting organization), host the web site (which has little content on
> it) and host the mailing list.  Am I missing anything else?
>
> 2)  What gives Merit the right to make decisions about the group without
> consulting the membership?
>
> (Hint:  It's not in the charter, or anywhere else I could find)
>
> 3)  If Merit is not listening to it's membership, and is only providing the
> web page and mailing list, is there a reason why they are still hosting
> NANOG?
>
> (Hint:  It's not in the charter.)
>
> I would propose one of the following:
>
> 1)  The NANOG Charter needs to be revised into a more inclusive charter
> which includes the resolution of conflicts within the membership, review of
> the officials actions by the membership and removal of officials by the
> membership in the event that the actions are in conflict with the membership
> or charter.  There should also be included, in the charter, how to revise
> and amend the charter.  In this option, Merit would still be the ruling
> body.
>
> 2)  Remove Merit from the ruling body.  There is no reason, today, that the
> web site and mailing list could not be hosted by someone else.  I do not
> believe that Merit is doing a bad job, but there isn't that much work
> involved in providing this service.  The charter states that meetings are to
> be organized by the hosting company.  I don't see a reason why this could
> not continue.  The charter will still need to be resizes, however to include
> the items from option 1
>
> 3)  Continue to live under the rule of a ruling body that does not consult
> of inform it's membership or decisions that affect the membership and
> meetings.
>
> Merit is under no obligation, at this point, to continue to offer services
> to NANOG, and the membership has no recourse of action under the current
> charter.
>
> I don't want to play politics, but I think something needs to be done.
>
> UK
>
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