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What's Not Happening
Zorch Frezberg, Trustee

WHAT'S NOT HAPPENING
There isn't always something happening on Fidonet, but there's always something which isn't happening. This column is dedicated to the lost causes which make Fido what it isn't today. Published semi-occasionally...

Douglas Myers 1:270/720 doug@mdtnbbs.com

IN ZORCH WE TRUST...

While most Fidonet echoes are considered the property of their listed moderator for administrative purposes, most moderators consider themselves stewards of their echo for the participants. FN_SYSOP takes this concept one step further, explicitly naming the Fidonet Sysops as owners of the echo, and mandating an annual election of the moderator. The sysops of FN_SYSOP recently elected Rob Ferrara as the new moderator, replacing Zorch Frezberg as the previous moderator.

That's what happened... now for what didn't happen.

One of the major responsibilities of a moderator is to maintain an accurate listing with the Echolist Robot. Rob was never given the password to accomplish this himself... instead, Zorch Frezberg updated the listing, but retained the password unto himself. Realizing that he was locked out of the future capability of discharging his obligation without the password, Rob Ferrara corresponded with Thom LaCosta (the Echolist Robot Keeper) explaining the situation and requesting that the password be changed to one of his choosing. Thom, considering the recent election as sufficient proof that Rob is the legitimate moderator, made that change.

Thom immediately came under fire for this gross application of common sense. Zorch Frezberg revealed a secret "trusteeship," - previously unknown to all but himself, Bob Moravsik, and Bob Kohl - which mandated that Zorch should retain the password in trust for Rob. Complicating this claim is the fact that such an arrangement is not written into the echo rules and that no such trusteeship was known to the sysops of the echo either before or during the vote. Nonetheless, Thom LaCosta is characterized as dishonest by Zorch, Bob, and Bob for changing the password and thwarting the (as yet unrevealed) purpose of the "trusteeship."

Is there any substance to the claim that the password should be held in trust? Apparently, such an arrangement existed in the past. FN_SYSOP was on the backbone for years before it became common to elist echoes. In the initial years when FN_SYSOP was listed, the moderator then didn't wish to maintain the listing, so it was handled by another individual. It's further apparent that Bob Morasvik held the password through the terms of several moderators without revealing it to them, but then losing it after he revealed it to another individual. Ironically, no other individual held the password while Zorch Frezberg was moderator.

But did these arrangements constitute a trust? There's no record of the matter ever being discussed among the sysops, presumably the group who would grant such a trust. There's certainly nothing written in the echo rules or any other public record. Furthermore, the sysops in the echo seem to overwhelmingly reject the idea that the password should be withheld from the elected moderator.

And Rob Ferrara is adamant that he only share the password with an individual of his choosing. A cursory look at those who are advocating the "trusteeship" would seem to lend credibility to his attitude:

Zorch Frezberg - Zorch is the moderator who was just voted out of office, which might hint at a lack of trust by the sysops in the echo. Zorch is accused of several irregularities in the past two years, including the filing of a frivolous policy complaint and voting multiple times in the last ZEC election (admittedly, this latter is unproven - or at least unpersued, but widely believed). Is this the kind of person the sysops would want as a "trustee?"

Bob Morasvik - Bob is widely known for his "legal" assumption of echoes. His past practice is to target echoes which are about to expire from the elist, and then flood the robot with elist entries in the hope that the current moderator will fail to update in time. Among his "successes" are the administrative echoes in his region, now unused as the regional officers were forced to list alternate echoes for regional conversation. Is this "trustee" material?

Bob Kohl - This Bob resigned under pressure as Regional Coordinator. He is most remembered for revealing in-transit netmail and driving one of the nets in his region to relocate to another region. He was removed as Zone Echomail Coordinator by the Zone Coordinator at the request of the Regional Echomail Coordinators. Is this "trustee" material?

The above three individuals are still demanding that Thom LaCosta re-establish the old password and endorse the "trusteeship," but so far this is still What's Not Happening.

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| Fidonet: Douglas Myers 1:270/720@fidonet.org
| Internet: doug@mdtnbbs.com
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