[IMC-US] admins of the us imc site/frustrations/concerns all admins

[max]

hey bht-

I and I hope everybody on this list appreciates all the work you have been doing
for the us-imc.  I know that I have felt similar frustration to what you
described, being stuck doing a lot of work for a project that I feel is
important but for some reason, other people don't want to get involved. 
sometimes those projects fall apart, other times they seem like they're about
to and then something happens and everyone gets excited about it again.  I
think indy web-based projects face a particularly difficult set of challenges
as chris described.

based on those stats that john sent out though, it seems like us-imc is a
project worth continuing in one form or another.  I have a lot of ideas about
this project, how to make it better, some of the concrete problems that I think
are going to be difficult to surmount, etc.- probably a lot of us are thinking
about this as well.  I think that this project needs a re-visioning of who is
involved and how people get involved.  I think we need to think more about what
voices we are amplifying, and whether we are missing some important and
underrepresented voices.  how decisions are made and who is making decisions,
etc.

one specific problem with this project is that as of right now, the ONLY way
that people can be involved is to do web editorial stuff for the website.  this
is inherently limiting. in my experience this is the kind of work that is hard
for many people to get involved with and feel a part of, and feel ownership
over.  I know that many local IMCs have lots of people involved, but the web
editorial stuff is done by only a couple of folks out of a much larger group.

I think we should set aside a good amount of time at the upcoming conference to
talk about this in person- it seems like others feel this way too.

would people like to use this list to begin figuring out how/what we want to
talk about at this conference?

max


Quoting bht <bht at indymedia.org>:

> so, i personally feel that admin accounts that arent used are a point of
> vulnerability to a site.  especially to an imc site.  since many of the
> admins dont keep in touch once they stop doing admin work, and because the
> administration aspect of the site should be for volunteers actually doing
> work, i generally disable an account after a month or two of not logging
> in.
>
> i was about to do that, but i noticed that would leave four admins.  and
> it isnt very transparent.  so, i am going to this with a bit of
> transparency :-)
>
> currently the people that havent logged in and therefore havent done admin
> work in the last two months=
>
> comfrey_pdx
> mi_emily
> pdx-deva
> pdx-juggo
> pdx-sunflower
> sfbay_janky
> sfbay_mark
> tn_kaldari
> uc_sascha
> nyc_josh
>
> the admins that have logged in and done something in the last two weeks
> include:
>
> wmass_tribal
> sc_bradley
> pdx_bht
> nyc_ana
> muna_rva
> john
>
> there are a few others that have logged in in the last month but not
> within the last two weeks.  so, i would like to disable the accounts that
> havent logged in this year.  and then, if those admins would like to
> reactivate their account, they just need to ask.
>
> how do people feel about this?  i dont feel good about it.  that is why i
> am bringing it up.  i dont want vulnerabilities, but i want to encourage
> people to do something with the site.  is there a reason folks arent
> involved?
>
> after the inauguration i realized i am doing too much work.  i spent 14
> hours on the web radio and worked updating the pdx site, the indy.us site,
> and the indy.org site.  i dont think something is working when one person
> takes on so many tasks.  so i am going to kind of withdraw from indy.us.
> i want to see it work, and i want to work on it, but it comes off
> totalitarian and fascist and all those other shitty things when someone
> does too much and without any interaction with other folks.
>
> does anyone want to comment on this?  i have alot of feelings about this
> stuff, indymedia is what i enjoy doing and i want to see a strong network
> and i want things to be a community effort.  i dont see that thread of
> thought coursing through.  maybe i am just wrong about the idea of
> indymedia.  but i wont get into it all here, most of you obviously have no
> desire or care to listen to this shit.
>
> so.  if you want to talk more, feel free to email me, the list, or call.
> i am tired.
> bht
> portland indymedia volunteer
>
>
>
>
>
> --
>
>
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