Fut. of the forum (2): Progress report

[french frank]

In my not always 100% efficient way, I've collected the names of those who have volunteered to help with the forum in some way (no binding commitments as to roles or in time atm). In alphabetical order: Calum Da Jazbo, Dave2002, DracoM, Eine Alpensinfonie, french frank (admin), Globaltruth, James Wonnacott, johnb, LateralThinking1, msealey (admin), Philidor, Simon, StephenO, tony yyy, umslopogaas, Uncle Monty. Looks like a nice spread over the various interests.

If I've missed anyone who offered or included someone who didn't, just shout! Or PM me.

I've also created a Committee Room where we can kick around a few initial ideas (e.g. on rules, moderating, hosting, board content), exploring ideas rather than laying down laws.

I was going to say I can hardly believe that we've only been going for less than a week, but on checking the calendar, it's been almost a fortnight - but only a week today that the BBC boards closed. It's been such a dream start that discussions about rules and moderation seem almost unnecessary, but ...

[3rd Viennese School]

Just out of interest. Whats the difference between the grey envelopes and the red envelopes at the start of the boards? And the big writing and small writing?
3VS

[johnb]

I've been pondering on whether to post this, partly because I don't know whether I'm tilting at windmills, but here goes:-

FF has said that she wants the community here to take over the management of the forum. She obviously includes herself as part of that community but has given the strong impression that she would prefer to fade into the background (though that might mean a number of things).

I think it is wholly a good thing that there is active involvement by the membership but I also think that it would be very beneficial indeed if ff maintained the major role in the active management of the forum as, say, primus inter pares. The reasons I believe this are:

- She has extremely good judgement, I think most people here would trust her to make the right decisions. I'm not saying that other members don't have that quality but that we are unknown quantities in this regard.

- She deals with potentially awkward situations with great tact and ability.

- This forum is FF's baby (and Mark's too of course) and I think she should have a controlling influence on the forum. If the forum somehow developed in a way that left her uncomfortable it would place her in a difficult situation and I think it is best to avoid that possibility.

- The management of the forum is different to a 'meeting' or a 'committee' but there are some parallels and the success of those is greatly dependent on the chairman (or chairwoman) - I think the same will apply to the management of the forum.

(I think I've done enough grovelling for this week, so I'll leave it at that. )

[french frank]

Just out of interest. Whats the difference between the grey envelopes and the red envelopes at the start of the boards? And the big writing and small writing?
3VS

It's supposed to be a heading, and a description. There's a bit of 'shouting' because I want people to notice!

johnb, it's still open for any members to come to the first 'virtual' meeting (it is a 'No Smoking' committee room!). I think it would be useful to take the discussions off the main board - simply to let the normal discussions take priority. These meetings affect everyone so are not taking place in secret except that they are intended to be confined to members. But that does mean all those who opt-in.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I've also created a Committee Room where we can kick around a few initial ideas (e.g. on rules, moderating, hosting, board content), exploring ideas rather than laying down laws.

Is this attached to the board or do you email us?

[french frank]

Is this attached to the board or do you email us?

It's hidden and p/w protected as a bit of an experiment - but to spoil everything, everyone's invited, RSVP . My suspicion is that most people don't really want to be bothered with drawing up mission statements, requests for help, debating over rules and how to moderate &c. so we'll come up with some suggestions and anything controversial can be put to the vote. I will send the url and p/w to all volunteers when I've got a suggested agenda with AOB.

As you can see, up here(!) it's almost impossible to have a focused discussion without someone popping in with an irrelevant query and suddenly the business is buried. I hope this will keep discussions on topic...

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

I look forward to it. :)

[Uncle Monty]

Me too

There should be a smiley there, but they seem to have disappeared from all my posts. It's like not being able to move your hands when you speak! Anyone know what's happened?

[Anna]

I don't feel I have any right to reply here. Although being a poster on the old R3 MBs from around 2004/2005 I left after whatever reversioning and the MBs getting overtly political and nasty.

However, here is my two pennorth worth.

Agree with ff, johnb, zuccihini, doversoul, etc. Keep the MBs strictly to R3 to retain credibility with the BBC that this is a serious MB about Radio 3, this is what you are passionate about, R3 and its output and its listeners. Let it be a stand-alone MB that sticks up for R3 and its listeners and champions the cause.

Restrict the bells, whistles and flutes, let it be clean and concise. Otherwise it'll be just like any social networking site and won't have any clout with BBC Management.

[mangerton]

Me too

There should be a smiley there, but they seem to have disappeared from all my posts. It's like not being able to move your hands when you speak! Anyone know what's happened?

No, but I've had the same problem today.

[french frank]

No, but I've had the same problem today.

See the Not me, guv thread. When Mark did the upgrade it seemed to gobble up all the smileys which I'd laboriously uploaded. There are charred remains down in the engine room which I'll remove and try uploading again.