Guest Editorial

What's Wrong wiht this Picture?

What's Wrong with this Picture?
The Other Fidonews Position
Douglas Myers 1:270/720

Henk Wolsink's editorial in last week's Fidonews has found one ardent supporter in Bob Morasvik. Bob apparently feels that it can't be comprehended in one reading, and has bent his effort to reposting it on a daily basis to anyone who will listen and many who won't. Parts of that article are quoted here. Readers who wish to see the full editorial in context are invited to review last week's Fidonews or just about any Bob Morasvik post in the FN_SYSOP echo this week.

Henk's editorial presents his opinion of an action by Thom LaCosta, the Echolist Keeper. Thom's action followed a recent election in the FN_SYSOP echo. Echo rules mandate an annual election of the moderator. Rob Ferrara was elected to this position this year, defeating Zorch Frezberg, the incumbent. The problem developed when Rob contacted Zorch to get the echo password, a necessary item for changing the echo listing. Zorch did not respond to Rob's request, except to change the listing naming Rob as moderator, but retaining the password. Rob requested the Echolist Keeper change the password to one of his choosing. Since Rob was the moderator by virtue of both the election and, at that point, by the echo listing... Thom complied. After Thom changed the password to give Rob control of his echo, Zorch Frezberg broke his silence and revealed a questionable "trusteeship" which, he claimed, gave him to right to control the password irregardless of the fact that he'd been voted out of the moderator position (with whom the password normally resides).

Henk came down firmly against this in his published opinion last week, stating in part:

---extracted from Henk Wolsink's Editorial Opinion---

The list keeper has NO right to -

1. supply the new moderator the current password or
2. change the password or
3. change details of the echo with(out) permission of the password holder. ie. Ex-moderator in the above scenario.

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Applied to the events which actually transpired, these high sounding principles translate into little more than a ringing endorsement for Zorch Frezberg to do as he wishes with the area FN_SYSOP, despite the expressed wishes of the sysops in that echo, and despite the rules and tradition which make them the owners of that echo.

Henk moves on to this passionate conclusion:

--- extracted from Henk Wolsink's Editorial Opinion ---

Secrecy has been violated! Get rid of the echolist keeping system. It's useless with what has happened recently!

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And he's correct that secrecy has been violated. But it's the "secret" trustee arrangement which has been busted - an arrangement which was only known to Zorch Frezberg, Bob Morasvik, and Bob Kohl. This was an arrangement se secret that it couldn't be shared with the sysops, the owners of the echo, at any point during the election. This was an arrangement so secret that it couldn't be shared with the Echolist Keeper until after he took the common sense action which busted it. This was an arrangement which, when finally exposed to the light of day in an effort to discredit the Echolist Keeper, was universally rejected by the sysops participating in FN_SYSOP... the owners of the echo, and the very people for whom the password was supposedly held in "trust."

But is Henk correct that the Echolist Robot should now be abandoned, a useless commodity? That would depend on your view as to the rule of the Echolist Keeper.

One school of thought is that all Fido positions should be that of a clerk. Fidonet Coordinators should just write their section of the nodelist and stay away from any decisions. Thom should just let the robot run unattended and stay out of anything requiring judgement.

I reject that position myself. Neutering those who hold a Fidonet office simply puts someone else in charge... in this case the person who can find a loophole in the existing rules, the person who can convince others that a rule exists where it doesn't, or he who can seize such things as knowledge of a password and elevate that acquisition to greater prominence than a proper election.

The other view is that Fido positions are a trust, and the office holders should actively seek to improve Fido... should help when help is needed, and do what needs to be done to make the system work.

Thom did what needed to be done, and my editorial hat is off to him.

[ ED: No Douglas, I do NOT support Zorch, nor Thom and neither YOU! What I write in the editorial, is how I see it and believe it is happening, for the good or bad and my comments and/or views, are mine and NOT that of the ZCC or the IC nor for that matter, of FidoNet and it's SysOp's. There are many ways to kill a bird, or what ever saying you wish to use, and I still believe Rob could have used alternative ways in getting the password. Please note: Zorch made an announcement in that he conceeded he is no longer the moderator of FN_SYSOP and Rob having won most of the votes and as such, was declared the moderator.

Your comment about FidoNet positions, has nothing to do with the e-list system. But since you brought the subject of 'positions' to the fore, how about killing of Policy 4? :-)