Open Forum question

[Wudpecker]

It's heartbreaking to watch two fine gentlemen (yourself and Von Beerhofen) at odds over the issue of privacy in The Gen.

Dare I suggest opening the GEN forum for viewing, just as SimHQ is.
If someone wants to post, they join.
Perhaps a single "Open Post" slot for viewers to post comments without the lengthy joining process.

--This is your forum, sir, and you may do as you will.

The sense of freedom and open sharing is the spirit of the WorldWideWeb, and of the EAW community.
http://www.cnn.com/2004/TECH/internet/0 ... index.html

At the same time, a sense of privacy and exchange among "club" members may be balanced against that.
What we need to keep private, I can't imagine. But that's not my decision.

As we all know (or should know), anything that crosses the web can be tracked and watched. It's a public bulletin board for those with the knowledge and software (and not-so-nice intent) to view it.

May we once more stretch our hands across the seas and boundaries in friendship.
---the Wudpecker

[Moggy]

The working groups are not intended to be public forums, we already have those at SimHQ, Frugals and the like. The project boards are places where project teams can talk amongst themselves and co-ordinate and develop their projects. The function of the boards is not to generate posts, but to assist in the organisation and furtherance of the projects. Some projects wish to keep what they are doing in the nature of a surprise for the whole community when they are done, and I know that there was some feeling along those lines in the original CAW project group.

Such private forums are clearly in evidence across the web, and many sim related boards have them for working projects, online squadrons and the like. I pointed out in the SimHQ thread that the Rowan BOB code group have a private forum there. At the old furball site there was once a private "EAW code" group, Turma.net offered private forums for project groups. So these things are not unknown in the Sim world, nor are they unknown in the EAW world.

Anyone who wants to get involved in the projects can apply to join the project groups, and being a member of the project groups, can join in the discussions on the boards just as they would if they were included in the email "round robin". Nothing sinister is going on. If I hauled down these boards, all that would happen is that the stuff here would go back into private emails, and the EAW world at large would be none the wiser.

I have now removed the "approval" business for basic membership, so anyone dropping by can now register quickly. The process for joining the groups is still subject to approval, but that is to underline the fact that these groups are intended to be working groups and we are looking for people to take an active part in getting the project work done.

[Wudpecker]

Thank you, sir, for taking the time to reply in detail.

In your support, may I point out that SimHQ has its own private forums, notably the central control group.
--W

[Anthony]

Wudpecker

I appreciate your spirit of fence mending, but Moggy has explained himself quite clearly. Sometimes you just have to let things go and time will do the rest.

This forum is nothing new in terms of "closed circle". The online EAW flyers have had their own own forums and boards (thank god!) and as pointed out, EAW has had seperate forums for different purposes. This board is just facilitating communication for very specific purposes. As a replacement for email communication, you don't want everybody hopping in with their two cents worth. You just want direct communication with respect to different aspects of specific projects.

If anyone doesn't see the need for this board right now, then no amount of explanation will show them that need. They will work it out through experience, just as Moggy has.

[geg]

In your support, may I point out that SimHQ has its own private forums, notably the central control group.
--W

...i dont see whats this has got to do with anything?