[Imc] twisted locks, twisted security

[Mike Lehman]

Bob,
Well that is what you PERCEIVE (in regard to your comment about having
no problems using the inside lock), but the fact is your actions in not
paying attention to something which, to the best of my understanding,
was explained in detail to everyone that Sascha gave a key to (and
NUMEROUS times on this list), along with certain other indiviudals, have
indeed created the problem of people being locked out and UNABLE TO
ENTER THE IMC.

ONCE AGAIN:
(pardon me, Bob, these caps aren't meant towards you specifically, but
at the general problem of a seeming lack of communication that is part
of the problem)

UNTIL THE PRESENT LOCK IS REPLACED (AND NOT JUST BECAUSE YOU FEEL LIKE
IGNORING WHAT HAS BEEN SAID ABOUT THIS LOCK THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO
IGNORE), PLEASE NOTE THIS:

A. YOU MAY INDEED SUCCESSFULLY LOCK THE DOOR FROM THE INSIDE, UNLOCK IT,
LOCK IT WHILE LEAVING, AND NOTICE NOTHING AMISS.

B. THE NEXT PERSON USING THE LOCK WILL OFTEN FIND THAT THEY CANNOT ENTER
THE IMC, THAT, IN FACT, THEIR ATTEMPTING TO UNLOCK THE IMC WILL RESULT
IN NOTHING EXCEPT TOTAL FRUSTRATION AND WONDERING WHY PEOPLE CAN'T
FOLLOW EXPLICT AND CLEAR INJUNCTIONS AGAINST LOCKING THE FRONT DOOR OF
THE IMC FROM THE INSIDE.

The Steering group will consider proposals about what to do about this
situation again this Sunday. I can tell you that I will support no
change UNLESS WE HAVE A CLEAR AND UNAMBIGUOUS UNDERSTANDING FROM
EVERYONE INVOLVED THAT THE FRONT DOOR WILL NEVER, EVER BE LOCKED FROM
THE INSIDE AGAIN.
PERIOD.

Only then will I consider installing any temporary physical locking
device on the front door until the front of the building is
reconstructed.

Why, you minght ask, am I being so anal and bitchy about this?

A. Because this whole situation has been handled incredibly poorly by
those involved. A problem was created and blown up into mythical
proportions that could have been handled in much better fashion by
simply contacting and engaging in discussion with the Space group and
the Steering group, asumming that the Space group did not satisfy the
desires of the complaintant.

The problem being that, AFAIK, the Space group never heard anything
about this until it hit the main e-mail list and forced it into the lap
of the Steering group on an emergency basis.

And there is NO emergency. If you are doing something unwise, in your
opinion, you quit doing that until you have sought assistance and had
the problem concerned rectified satisfactorily.

You don't just imply that you are going to be repeating your behavior
and make statements to the effect that it is up to others to prevent the
possible harm from befalling you.

B. Most importantly (now that I've gotten MY beef off my chest about the
way that this whole affair has been handled in way that indicates a
reckless disregard for the way that the IMC makes decisions as a group),
the present lock will remain in use with, at most (because it has not
been determined whether this is a workable solution yet) an added latch
hook on the door.

This means that anyone who still chooses to disregard the explicit
instructions not to turn the inside lock WILL STILL BE ABLE to lock
people out by their disregard of the impact of their choice in behavior
on others.

Until I am personally convinced that we will NOT have a recurrence of
such anti-social behavior on the part of those with access to the IMC, I
will support no changes in how access is allowed to the IMC, EXCEPT for
an examination of the need for regulation of afterhours use of the IMC
so that it is clear that those who do so will abide by IMC policies, or
to bring any disagreements with same to the attention of the relevant
IMC group, WHILE CONTINUING TO ABIDE BY IMC POLICY UNLESS AND UNTIL SAID
POLICY IS CHANGED.

The IMC is very much a group-driven enterprise that is very much
dependent on members abiding by policies in good faith for the safety,
security, and good of all members and IMC resources. We've been through
these issues lately with Tech (people simply not abiding by use and
configuration of computers), with Space (in regard to non-members using
IMC resources), and now with Space again, repeatedly, with this whole
lock issue.

We are a very loosely structured group, with a great deal of opportunity
for people to have input and participate in decisionmaking. Totally
ignoring the means which we have set up to organize ourselves is very
destructive of group initiative and cohesion. I hope that no one takes
this personally, but it has gotten to the point where something needed
to be said in public to convince people that there actually are a group
of people that have been working on this issue, but who have been
consistently ignored by those who feel that this is an issue that we
have not addressed. I would suggest that those concerned with this issue
going in a particular direction attend the Steering group meeting this
Sunday and COMMUNICATE with it, if they cannot wait until the next Space
group meeting next Wednesday to do so.

Thank you for listening to me rant,
Mike Lehman


Bob Cook wrote:
> 
> Hmmm. Every time that I've locked the imc's front door from the inside
> I've been able to open it...