From owner-constitution@andromeda.68k.org Tue Sep 9 00:01:26 1997 Date: Tue, 9 Sep 1997 02:00:06 -0500 From: owner-constitution-digest@lsmsaaa.org (LSMSAAA Constitution Digest) To: constitution-digest@68k.org Subject: LSMSAAA Constitution Digest V1 #10 Reply-To: constitution@andromeda.68k.org Sender: owner-constitution-digest@lsmsaaa.org Errors-To: owner-constitution-digest@lsmsaaa.org Precedence: bulk LSMSAAA Constitution Digest Tuesday, September 9 1997 Volume 01 : Number 010 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 11:04:39 -0700 (PDT) From: "Andre' DeHon" Subject: Re: please forward Assuming: 1) LSMSA has a computer 2) sect. has a computer 3) everybody makes backups as I've suggested How is this any less reliable/vulnerable than the situation I expect we have now: There is one computer (at LSMSA) with the database (presumably it's backed up regularly) and there is one set of people (the ones at LSMSA) who have access to it? Ok, at the risk of sounding technocratic. I think it is reasonable to expect: 1) that a recording secretary have enough basic skills to handle the job efficiently (and today that means computer literacy) 2) in taking the job the recording sect. will find a way to obtain adequate access (which could be: a) maintaining an internet account from which they can do work or b) going to LSMSA where they can get access to such an account [assuming it is reasonable to consider that LSMSA would provide access for said officer] Andre' > Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 11:01:13 -0400 (EDT) > From: Dennis Voss > MIME-Version: 1.0 > Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII > > On Wed, 3 Sep 1997, Andre' DeHon wrote: > > > The "Right Thing" to do with the database is to put it online on a > > network accessible computer (password protected, etc.). Once it's online, > > physical access/locallity is not an important issue. > > Andre's vision of a dynamic database sounds wonderful, if feasible. But > as far as locality not mattering: > > I disagree. As we've seen with the alumni mailing lists, any > technological "solution" is highly vulnerable to instability on the server > end. Hell, our constitutional convention is partly paralyzed right now. > And the LSMSA computers often go down. So either we would have to rely on > LSMSA maintaining the server where all of this database activity was > located, or we'd have to bounce the stuff around as alums were able to > make computer resources available. Even having the LSMSAAA buy its own > server isn't stable because we can't assume the Recording Secretary will > always have adequate computer literacy. > > steve > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > D. Stephen Voss (dsvoss@wjh.harvard.edu) Eat your beans, then some mutton, > Department of Government, GSAS don't pee ... and go on looking > Harvard University after you obsession! Oh! my hypothesis! > M-38 Littauer Bldg. Oh! my fame! I shall be immortal! Immortal! > Cambridge, MA 02138 Doktor (from Wozzeck) > ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 14:33:43 -0400 (EDT) From: Dennis Voss Subject: computer database On Thu, 4 Sep 1997, Andre' DeHon wrote: > How is this any less reliable/vulnerable than the situation I > expect we have now: > There is one computer (at LSMSA) with the database (presumably it's > backed up regularly) and there is one set of people (the ones at LSMSA) who > have access to it? It isn't more vulnerable than what we have now, but my goal is to make the LSMSAAA less vulnerable than it is now. If we rely on LSMSA to maintain either the database or the server that holds it, LSMSAAA is still dependent. That's not to say your more advanced approach should be avoided, just that it's not the means of maintaining a membership database that we ought to lock into the Constitution as part of a Recording Secretary's duties. I'm not worried about the Secretary having Internet access -- hell, they can pay for an AOL account out of the LSMSAAA budget -- but about the mystery person who's going to maintain this Web site (and the mystery server that will house it). LSMSAAA's officers should possess the authoritative membership database. steve - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. Stephen Voss (dsvoss@wjh.harvard.edu) Eat your beans, then some mutton, Department of Government, GSAS don't pee ... and go on looking Harvard University after you obsession! Oh! my hypothesis! M-38 Littauer Bldg. Oh! my fame! I shall be immortal! Immortal! Cambridge, MA 02138 Doktor (from Wozzeck) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 12:06:44 -0700 (PDT) From: "Andre' DeHon" Subject: Re: computer database > avoided, just that it's not the means of maintaining a membership database > that we ought to lock into the Constitution as part of a Recording > Secretary's duties. Agreed. I brought this up in this forum to address the argument that the corr. sect. needed to be geographically tied to Natchitoches. (still, I think it's the right thing to work on for the next few years. I'm sure 10 years from now, there will be different and better alternatives.) Andre' ------------------------------ Date: Thu, 4 Sep 1997 12:19:26 -0400 (EDT) From: Dennis Voss Subject: Re: Sec. 3 -- Dues On Wed, 3 Sep 1997, Rachel Hughes wrote: > I don't know how many people out of 2300 graduates are going to opt for > electronic communications. There are many of us who only have access to > the internet through our jobs or school. But schools don't place restrictions on email the way jobs do, and the number of alums who attend college is quite large at any time. Plus, the ones who are in college are the ones most likely to appreciate lower dues. steve - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. Stephen Voss (dsvoss@wjh.harvard.edu) Eat your beans, then some mutton, Department of Government, GSAS don't pee ... and go on looking Harvard University after you obsession! Oh! my hypothesis! M-38 Littauer Bldg. Oh! my fame! I shall be immortal! Immortal! Cambridge, MA 02138 Doktor (from Wozzeck) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Sun, 7 Sep 1997 22:54:25 -0400 (EDT) From: Dennis Voss Subject: postal fees Hi folks. I know the VCC was down, but I'm hoping we can get some feedback now on the Dues Section. I am especially interested in people's attitudes on the debate between Andre and me on postal fees. Is it better to complicate things a little with postal fees (to ensure the LSMSAAA can afford mailings each year), or should we just assume LSMSAAA officers won't spend all the Lifetime Dues at once so that this convenience can be maintained as is? steve - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- D. Stephen Voss (dsvoss@wjh.harvard.edu) Eat your beans, then some mutton, Department of Government, GSAS don't pee ... and go on looking Harvard University after you obsession! Oh! my hypothesis! M-38 Littauer Bldg. Oh! my fame! I shall be immortal! Immortal! Cambridge, MA 02138 Doktor (from Wozzeck) - ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of LSMSAAA Constitution Digest V1 #10 *****************************************