yacc v0.1 (Yet Another Constitution Candidate)

[Prabhu Ramachandran <prabhu@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

hi,

	This message is provocative with purpose.  I realize that I
run the risk of getting a bad reputation. :)

	Your proposal and Thaths suggestions sound excellent.  I have
one crib.  There were folks who said that they hadn't contributed to
the discussion earlier cos there were no quality posts.  Well, I dont
think you'd find more constructive posts that the last three. :)

	The structure you have presented sort of tallies with what I
had posted.  So the points I make will mostly be minor.

>>>>> "Gurunandan" == Gurunandan R Bhat <grbhat@xxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

<snip>

    Gurunandan> 4) All coordinators of LUGs get automatic membership
    Gurunandan> to the core group of LI. A core group member
    Gurunandan> automatically lays down his position when his LUG
    Gurunandan> appoints a new coordinator, who then automatically
    Gurunandan> joins the core. A coordinator is free to abstain from
    Gurunandan> exercising this privilege (membership of the governing
    Gurunandan> council) , if her LUG sees no benefit in their
    Gurunandan> alignment with LI and informs her accordingly.

	This is fine.  But what does the co-ordinator get out of it?
As Thaths mentioned usu. co-ordinators are kind of overloaded.  At
least at ilugc everyone who suggested a representative for li-reg
voted for someone else!  So _normally_, folks are not interested in
taking _any_ responsibility.  Besides some of them are genuinely busy.
We need to clearly understand the duties of a co-ordinator and his LI
work load.  And it is a good idea to allow for someone different from
the co-ordinator to represent the lug.


    Gurunandan> 5) The only issue on which the LUGs yield to LI is
    Gurunandan> that LI gets to register with Linux
    Gurunandan> International. That is the first and last concession
    Gurunandan> that the LUGs make to LI. After that the collective
    Gurunandan> wisdom of the individual LUG coordinators shall guide
    Gurunandan> LI

	Sounds good.

    Gurunandan> a) Administer mailing lists.

    Gurunandan> b) Maintain and Update Website.

    Gurunandan> b) Keep eyes and ears open to opportunities of

    Gurunandan> 	a) Organising national events

    Gurunandan> 	b) Correcting misconceptions about Linux in
    Gurunandan> the national press with joint statements on behalf of
    Gurunandan> the LUGs.

    Gurunandan> 	c) Organise national events to highlight Linux
    Gurunandan> and its community of users

    Gurunandan> 	d) Organise a annual Linux Convention and User
    Gurunandan> Meet.

	this is a truly tough one.  We need to find relatively free,
trusted, dedicated volunteers.  Each lug already has almost all of its 
members doing their bit... 

    Gurunandan> Now a few thoughts on the functioning of LI:

<snip>
    Gurunandan> Here are some functionaries of LI:

    Gurunandan> 1. Managers for (Term 1 year):

    Gurunandan>         a) Public Relations and Awareness Management
    Gurunandan> (Mailing List management, Web site management, Press
    Gurunandan> Releases, Opportunity identification) b) Programmes
    Gurunandan> and Event Coordination and Inter-LUG affairs (National
    Gurunandan> Linux related event, participation and organisation)
    Gurunandan> c) Resource Mobilisation (Fund raising, Library
    Gurunandan> management) d) Research and Development (Student
    Gurunandan> events, Scholarships, Geek stuff)

	This sounds big and hard. :(

    Gurunandan> I had earlier put in posts like President, Secretary,
    Gurunandan> Treasurer etc, but the whole thing sounded so pompous
    Gurunandan> that I quickly changed my mind. Better to keep it all
    Gurunandan> low key ;) What we can (must) do is divide up
    Gurunandan> responsibilities and believe in collective
    Gurunandan> responsibility.

	Agreed and find people to take up the respinsibilities. :)

    Gurunandan> Heres the financial part:

    Gurunandan> LI should not raise funds (either from sponsorships or
    Gurunandan> donations or membership dues, anything) in a manner
    Gurunandan> that would create wealth (capital). On the other hand
    Gurunandan> it should strive to raise monies for specific
    Gurunandan> programmes and spend them exactly on those
    Gurunandan> programmes. In short, between two programmes, LI
    Gurunandan> should be as broke as the Ten Commandments.

    Gurunandan> Comments?

	I agree with Thaths and your ideas.  Sounds really good. Now
we are really cracking. :)


	Apologies if I stepped on other people's toes, but we need to
discuss this issue.  Maybe a vote on the general structure is in
order?

prabhu