[Computerbank] Re: What happened at the AGM?

[Patricia Fraser]

Hi Tim (long time no see!) & all,

> I still find it surprising (frankly) that there was nothing on the lists
> about the AGM until an interested (semi) outsider who follows CB ask what
> happened.

Do you? I don't. Most operational stuff - announcements of meetings, advance 
meeting agendas, notices of reports &c so people can read them ahead of time, 
notices that minutes are up, that kind of thing - doesn't seem to have been 
going up on the lists for quite some time. It's not how I'd personally like 
it to be, but it's the way it seems to have developed... the lists faded in 
importance and informativeness from the day CBV moved into Rosslyn St.

I think it's been a mistake, because communication between us all is very, 
very important - and not everyone we need uses irc, or even has regular 
access to the net...

> Are we going to have an announcement from the Prez?
>
> Are we going to have a 'serious' protest from anyone?

The most serious protest, and the most dangerous to this very special 
organisation, is the silent walkout of volunteers and members who no longer 
find/found Computerbank a place where there offerings are welcome. It's not 
about legality, it's about a perceived lack of community; to some of us, it 
has felt very possible to be "unsuitable" for quite a while. I think this is 
a sad thing; Computerbank began, and ran for quite a long time as the most 
inclusive, welcoming organisation I've ever come across. I think that is all 
but gone in the Vic part of the organisation, and I'd love to see us doing 
some real work to bring that back; 

> This organisation used to be one of the most transparent I knew of -
> discussions should be taking place on the mailing list.

I agree; and I think the transparency grew from the warmth, the trust and the 
inclusiveness of the group; a real sense that we needed everyone who was 
willing to help, no matter what offerings they brought. And there was a real 
sense that it was up to us as a group to encourage each other and value each 
others' contributions.

It's sad that we might even have to think about enforcing as a policy what 
used to happen from people's generosity of spirit...

> At the moment it seems like several core groups are infighting, simply
> presuming everyone who 'matters' knows what is going on.

I think everyone is afraid, and hurt, and upset; and why not? the lovely 
thing we built is fracturing, and it's not so lovely any more.

We desperately need to re-find our real reason for being here at all - 
otherwise, many of us are inclined to pack up and take our gifts elsewhere...

-- 
Trish Fraser, Sunbury, Australia
trish at thefrasers.org
www.computerbank.org.au