Theos-Talk Archives (July 1996 Message tl00708)

Dear Murray, and whoever else on TI wants in on this.           

At the moment, as I see it, we have 2 problems. 

1.We're all sort of set on making Alan the loose coordinator, and Alan
simply doesn't want the job.

2. Alan and John Crocker (JRC) are both planning a web site for TI.

So, before we go ahead with your super suggstions, Murray, I think we ought
to settle those 2 questions.

Liesel

...............................................................................


>Responding to Alan
>
>>>[Alan quoting Murray]
>>>I imagine we'll do what we can with what we've got, but maybe a sort of
>>>roster would help us to work together, ie a list of aspects of the Web site
>>>with a name opposite each one, and change the assignments around one place
>>>every couple of months. It depends on what people want and what they feel
>>>they can do, but I think a bit of organisation will help to lubricate the
>>>cooperation. It may even be fun.
>>
>>[Alan]
>> ....  One useful addition which could be made right now will be links
>>to TI members' home pages on the existing TI Web page below. ....
>>
>>Maybe you could expand on what your idea of "a bit of organisation"
>>might mean in terms of the "how" thereof?
>
>Yes, well organisation can get a bit tricky, can't it? We don't want more
>than a minimal amount, I guess, so as to keep the workload down and to avoid
>all those things that we don't like in established organisations. On the
>other hand, if people don't keep in touch with each other and don't work in
>together, it would surely waste a lot of time and effort.
>
>With no intention of being pessimistic, I don't think it hurts to be aware
>of possible problem areas in the future, for instance (IMO) undue editorial
>control and little circles of power within bigger circles. We don't want
>that stuff in TI, do we? Or do we??
>
>As I read it, we just want to get on with the job, and have limited
>resources enough as it is, without wasting energy on struggles with each other.
>
>So, my feeling is to keep any organising of who does what, as flexible as
>possible, in order to stay responsive to the needs of the moment.
>
>And if people offering material for the Web site or trying to decide what to
>do about any aspect of it do it through a common arena like theos-buds, then
>we have a reasonable chance of developing consensus. The site coordinator
>would then generally see that any consensus decision is put into action,
>including identifying others in TI or theos-XXX or beyond who can help when
>necessary.
>
>The structure I have in mind is a loose circle of site helpers including the
>site coordinator; with leadership able to pass around it rapidly and
>flexibly according to whoever happens to have the idea, skill or material
>which meets the need of the moment. The coordinator is then one of the
>circle, but with sufficient assent from the circle to be able to do the
>coordinating job. After some time, say a few months or whatever suits, the
>role could go to somebody else, to share the workload around.
>
>The circle of site helpers would really be as big as TI itself, with people
>doing what they are able to, if they are interested.
>
>Depending on where the Web server computer is, it might be necessary to
>separate the roles of site information coordination and technical upkeep and
>loading of the information. I haven't seen any messages describing the
>setup, so I'm a bit in the dark on what you and JRC have in mind.
>
>In my post of 22 July 96 titled "Re: TI Members", I suggested a few more
>"departments" like a page for news (para 4), a page for the spoken word,
>like interviews, anecdotes and testimony (paras 7 and 8), and one for
>highlights from theos-XXX (para 3).
>
>If we add those to JRC's diagram of the links, it would look something like
>this:
>
>   __________________________________________________________________
>  |                    |                         |                   |
>  |         The        |          Join           |     Contact a     |
>  |    Three Objects   | Theosophy International |     TI Member     |
>  |____________________|_________________________|___________________|      
>  |                    |                         |                   |
>  |     The History    |      Links to other     |     Theosophy     |
>  |         of         |       Theosophical      |   International   |
>  |      Theosophy     |  People & Organizations | Projects & Essays |
>  |____________________|_________________________|___________________|
>  |                    |                         |                   |
>  |   What's Cooking   |     News and Events     |    People Talk    |
>  |    on Theos-XXX    |                         |                   |
>  |____________________|_________________________|___________________|
>
>
>Other visual layouts are possible, of course.
>
>What's Cooking on Theos-XXX might be better off as a portion of the Links to
>other Theosophical ... page, even down to just a mention of its existence.
>Depends on how high a profile we want to risk giving it! :-)
>
>Site helpers would spread themselves around these "departments", depending
>on how many were available to help. I mentioned a roster before; that could
>appeal if people want to see a structure for change, or it could just be by
>communicating and consensus, like a good little nucleus of humanity!
>
>Who do we have in mind for graphics design?
>
>Well, that's been a lot of talking for something that will probably just
>happen naturally, and differently from this picture, but if we get enough
>interested people participating, it could set up quite a vortex of activity
>and we could achieve a lot. Also, we don't have to start with everything at
>once. It can grow.
>
>How about asking people who have already run a theosophical web site, like
>Paul Gillingwater? Their experience could be very valuable. Are you reading
>this, Paul?
>
>Murray
>Member TI and the TS in NZ
>
>
>