[AFRI-Discuss] Réf. : meeting and raison d'être

[Alan Levin]

Hi Hawa,

On 06 Aug 2008, at 8:11 PM, Hawa Diakite wrote:

> Thanks Alan, see below my comments, sorry to switch on French, I  
> hope you will try to translate as me :)

Thanks for your reply. I still don't know why you resent my same email  
yesterday.

Do you have any questions from us about policy discussions at ICANN?
What do you think the purpose of your role as AFRALO ALAC  
representative is?
>> > Improving regional communications ( ALS in Africa)
>>
>> I do not think that this is the purpose of the AfRALO. I am already a
>> member of 8 other lists where African Internet (and ICANN) issues are
>> discussed. In addition there are regular African meetings at ICANN
>> events. My sense is that the communications are pretty good. The  
>> thing
>> I do not understand is where are all the policy discussions that
>> relate to African Internet Users, please advise me.
> A mon sense, il est important de mettre les moyens de communication  
> clair et précis  sur lesquels tous les membre sont d'accord,
> c'est la 1ere fois fois aujourd'hui que nous avons plus de  
> participation, donc nous devons profiter de cela pour définir  
> ensemble des règles claires que tout le monde adhère
> (il ne faudrait pas qu'il y a des gens qui continuent à dire qu'il  
> ne sont pas informée).
>
> Translation: French » English
> In my sense, it is important to put the means of communication clear  
> and precise on which all members are in agreement, is the 1st time  
> today when we have more participation, so we must use it to define  
> clear rules that everyone adheres (should not that there are people  
> who continue to say they are not informed).

Hawa, I am confused. Are you saying that AFRALO should have the  
purpose to improve regional communications or are you saying that we  
should setup rules for posting to this list?  I do not think either is  
relevant to AFRALO, on all the lists I participate (relating to ICANN  
and ISOC) the standard for list netiquette is  RFC 1855. We do not  
need to reinvent the wheel, although there is no reason to change or  
make specific rules, I just do not think that this is a priority until  
there is a reason to. OK, if this is the case, and if this is an  
important agenda item, I propose that if anyone sends an email to the  
list that has no relevance, that we send them a warning, if they do it  
again then we ban them from the list. Does this make sense? Is this a  
useful discussion?
> > Interactions with Other RALOS
>
> IMHO, this is the job of the AfRALO representatives and we should get
> some written feedback from them about these. It still does not address
> any material issues that relate to our purpose: Where are all the
> policy discussions that relate to African Internet Users?
>
> C'est avec des canaux de communication bien définie que vous  
> pourriez avoir les FEEDBACK
> et au moins 1 représentant de chq ALS est sur la liste Atlarge et  
> AFRI-Discuss,  donc au courant des discussions, mais très peut de  
> commentaire de la part de notre communauté ; et pourquoi ? si  
> quelqu'un pourrait m'expliquer ??? Sinon c'est intéressant pour nous  
> avoir des propositions pour vous satisfaire
>
> It is with communication channels clear that you could have the  
> FEEDBACK
> and at least 1 representative of chq ALS is on the list Atlarge and  
> AFRI-Discuss, therefore aware of the discussions, but can comment on  
> the part of our community, and why? if someone could explain?  
> Otherwise it's interesting for us to have proposals to satisfy you

Again, the purpose is NOT for everyone to participate. AFRALO is  
established so that those that wish to participate can. Not everyone  
has to participate and the purpose should not to get everyone to  
participate. The main issue is to start discussing policy, until that  
happens there is no point in trying to get people to participate.

> > Review of the Action Items :  Discussions  ALAC review
>
>> I'm interested to see what comes up here (in the ALAC review).
>>
>
> Il est important pour nous que tout le monde le lise afin  
> qu"ensemble, nous envoyons des commentaires de la part de la  
> communauté AFRALO: It is important for us that everyone read it so  
> that "together we are sending comments from the community AFRALO:
>
I think the priority is mixed up here. How does it help to force  
someone to respond? Surely if they are obliged to respond their  
answers are less useful, in my experience the best answers will come  
from those that want to respond, the others simply do not care.

Sincerely,

Alan