FCAL Proposal Announced at GoMe

[Deledrius]

I definitely think the idea of a "Best of the Best Library", along with a full list elsewhere of Ages that pass the basic minimal criteria, would be great.

All publicly available Age should pass basic tests, a task I fully expect the Maintainers to do very well at (and a task to which a larger group or loose community gathering would be less well-suited). I don't want to link to an Age that is going to crash me out on link-in, or even be potentially damaging to my local system. There's generally a well-defined line between judging an Age's fitness for use, and judging its creative content in anyway other than the most clinical. I have faith in our community, and particularly the Maintainers, will be able to do that in a way that serves the community.

[Paradox]

Well, the veil of secrecy is gradually lifting.
Now, if we can insert a bit of democracy into the choice of panel members, that might make the playing field at least look a bit level.
And speaking of the way it looks, I call it as it seems from outside the secret veil.
What's your excuse?

Hold up. What "veil of secrecy" are you talking about? The only secrecy was the private forum where Cyan discussed its intentions, and we have released everything that was decided during those discussions.

You don't know how everything is going to work? Neither do we! We are still waiting for a number of things from Cyan: the guidelines for FCA approval, how the rotating panel is going to work, and a general overview of the process.

At this point Cyan has said to the GoMa and GoW leaders that it would like to have a joint panel handle FCA approvals in order to alleviate unnecessary strain on Cyan's legal department. We said that it sounded like a good idea and that we'd be interested. End of discussions with Cyan.

Then Cyan announces that GoMa and GoW will handle approval for MORE fan Ages. Okay, that doesn't sound too bad...

except that Cyan still hasn't given us a clear outline of how the process will work and what the criteria are. Don't yell at us for keeping it secret because we don't have it. If Cyan releases it to us privately, we will pass it along to you as soon as possible. But at this point, I doubt that even Cyan themselves have worked out the details.

[Nynaveve]

Thank you Paradox. That sums it up nicely. We are out of stuff to hide... we laid open our hands and we are now as clueless as everyone else. Our cards are on the table, and if we seem to not know something, we really don't! Chogon's answers were mostly "We don't know yet" during the press conference, and there is a reason why... WE DON'T KNOW YET!

[MustardJeep]

@pappou

I've had so far one request from a maintainer to be considered for the FCAL panel in three to four months when they will be free to participate more actively then they do now. I know that many Writers in general love Elections, Nominations, and Debates but this is going to be really boring work and the general feel is that people should be able to bail out and be replaced seamlessly if they are burned out, bored, no longer available, ect....

When the panels are formed how do you see picking people? One FCAL panel signup thread on the Guild section of the MO:UL forums (pick people at random form the list) , Elections on the GoW and GoMa forums for main panel members and their backups?

To be fair all the groups will need to use the same method to pick their panel members so the panel knows it's members all got there the same way.

P.S. Erik I know Trylon said something a while back about the upgrades to the ULM including a voting/review system of some sort for anyone logged in to the system, but I don't know what if any progress has been made on that.

[Paradox]

For people who haven't seen it yet, I highly suggest reading a post by Chogon on the Uru Live forums.

http://www.mystonline.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15821

[pappou]

Paradox, how quickly you forget the weeks of secret meetings. That's the secret veil. Remember now?
Yes, i know Cyan called those shots, but powerful as Cyan is, that does not mean it was the wise decision.
At this point, of course, the alternatives to secret meetings is a moot point (and thus there is little excuse to jump to that conclusion in order to beat me over the head with more non sequitur). Rather, what is to be discussed (should the shouters allow it) is that with the convenience of secrecy there is the attendant and unavoidable downside of divorce.
Secrecy divorces those of us who are not privileged from the table. Sure, we get the scraps after the meal. But by then desert is eaten and the elite have been empowered.
It then becomes the charge of the elite to shut up complaints from the mob in order to consolidate their position.
I see that the leaders of GoW are just a tad embarrassed at having contributed to the secret veil, but they will get over that quickly enough.

What is to be gained by discussing it this way? Firstly, to stop this notion of secret meetings as a way of life; and secondly, to wake up the mob. They must demand democratic participation in choosing the rotating panel. There is still no indication from the elite that they are willing to give up their seats on the panel -- except for Andy, i think. Instead, the elite shift the focus to such things as: Cyan made me do it; and, We too do not know what will happen.

That is mere diversion; it is non sequitur to establishing democratic rule over this process.

[andylegate]

Something must be done!



All these people keep prying into my veil of secrecy that I have. Should they ever find out that I'm really the Evil Master Mind of the GoMa.........wait......is this thing on???



"Veil of secrecy...." good one.........

I suppose next will be the "Inquisition of Ages.."



I call dibs on the Head Inquisitor position!!!!

[Nynaveve]

Pappou, who told you who was on the panel? Unless I've been asleep for the last few days, we didn't even consider that yet. I guess that's the part you're hung up on. We haven't even decided how to elect a panel yet. Let alone who's on it. I'm confused as to why you are picking this bone now.

Further, the reason Cyan has been having "secret diatribes" with us is because they can't deal with the zealous fans as a whole. I think Andy has posted to this effect already (to the backlash of several people...). I personally couldn't take thousands of fans and have a productive back-and-forth with them. I would request a handful to stand as representatives of the rest, who were duly elected as such, and speak with them.

Oh, crap, I just described Democracy. Funny....

I get the feeling that there is some jealousy weaving through the crowd here, about how a "select handful" of individuals have had discussions with Cyan while the rest haven't. I'm sorry to see that. Maybe in the future these people will have the opportunity to experience leadership in this community, with the good and bad... the discussions with Cyan, the flaming on the boards, the joy of leading a group of people, the personal insults hurtled at you for no reason. Its got its plusses and minusses, and it takes a certain person to be willing to fill that position. I guess now I know how the President feels.

[Tsar Hoikas]

Only the President deserves the crap flung at him...

[andylegate]

Yay Hoikas!!!!!

The conversation has now turned to Feces!!!!

Oh, wait. Maybe I'm having a flash back of the Zoo where the monkeys were....well never mind. Wasn't pretty though.