Let's Get On With The Real Work!

o_donnel_abu

For business reasons, I have had only minimal involvement in IOFFL during the last few months.

There has been a lot of stuff going on in this forum recently that in my opinion needs to be put behind us. As someone who has been heavily involved since the start up of IOFFL, but has not been involved in any of the arguments that have been going on recently, I would like to make a few comments that I hope people will take in the right spirit. Most of the discontent that has been expressed falls under the following categories:

1. ”Powers” of the committee
   Let’s remind ourselves first of all how the committee came about. A group of 17 of us met in Dublin last May and formed an ad hoc working committee. A formal committee was then formally elected at a meeting in June to which all members were invited and about 80 turned up from all over the country. At that meeting, there was total endorsement of the approach taken to date and the committee were given the authority to co-opt additional members if they felt fit. Since the public meeting, this power has been exercised to bring on 3 extra committee members – people who had already made a significant contribution to the development of IOFFL. The point I am making is that this is a democratically elected committee, acting with the goodwill of the general membership, not some sort of self appointed junta as some recent comments would seem to infer.
   
2. Performance of the Committee
   First of all, let’s remember that the committee are working on a voluntary basis trying to fit IOFFL business into very busy work/personal schedules. As I said earlier, I have been very busy myself at work, typically clocking up 80-100 hours per week and doing a lot of travel; Elana has gone through pregnancy; another committee member was made redundant; another committee member has been under financial pressure in his own business. I am lot looking for sympathy, or making excuses – we all took this role on willingly. The fact that the work is voluntary does not mean that we should not try to manage this organisation in a highly professional manner, but the things that have been done to date have taken masive amounts of time from committee members and I think that we are entitled to a degree of tolerance if things aren't always dealt with in the most effective manner– I hasten to add that we do get this tolerance from the vast majority of members.
   
   There are issues in our organisation that need to be addressed ranging from technical issues relating to our web site and its hosting to general issues as to how we best move forward as an organisation. We welcome ideas and suggestions, indeed the main reason that Dahamsta, Skeptic and Fergus were co-opted onto the committee was the constant stream of ideas and suggestions that they put forward on this forum!
   
   What we find difficult to deal with (we are human, after all )is people who whinge and moan about this not happening or that not happening, but make no suggestions whatsoever as to how the issues can be tackled.
   
3. Censorship on this Forum
   This forum is the lifeblood of IrelandOffline and management of it is a key task for the committee. There is no-one more passionate about Freedom of Speech than myself and the other committee members, but we have to balance this against allowing this forum to get into a state where it undermines the work of IOFFL. In particular, we have to remember that this forum is closely monitored by people outside IOFFL, including Eircom, ODTR, Esat and civil servants.
   
   For example: In the days before our seminar, some people posted stuff about putting bombs under Eircom cars and things like that. OK, they were only joking, but on the morning of our seminar, Eircom threatened to pull out of the seminar unless we could give them a categorical assurance that the event would be properly managed and controlled and that their representatives would not be subject to any physical or verbal abuse. What would headlines in the papers about Eircom pulling out due to threats from our members have done for our image and credibility? Ok, maybe this is an extreme example, but we have worked very hard to create a credible image as an organisation and we have to judge when a particular thread is likely to do more damage than good to us. In particular, we have to identify posts that are deliberately placed to cause argument and distraction.
   
   One specific point that I would make here – Dahamsta and Bard are regularly attacked personally here for locking or deleting threads. They just happen to be the guys who have taken on the actual work of moderating the forum, there is nothing that they have done in that role that does not have the support of the overall committee so any criticism should be directed towards the whole committee and not them as individuals.
   
4. Lack of Communication/Action
   There have been a number of comments about members not being kept informed of “what is going on behind the scenes”. There is no big secret about what we are doing. It’s just that a lot of the work we are doing is related to lobbying politicians and dealing with people like the Department of Public Enterprise. Work like this is done more effectively out of the public arena. It is also work that takes a long time to produce anything tangible and when we have something concrete to report, we will do so.
   
   We are also aware that since the blackout, there has been little chance for the general membership to get involved in practical ways, apart from lobbying their own public representatives. We are addressing this issue and hope to put some ideas forward in the near future.
   
5. Achievements to Date
   Let’s not forget what we have achieved to date in just over six months– our meetings with the key players like Eircom, ODTR, Esat, Mary O’Rourke and the extensive media coverage we have had. We are now recognised as the authoritative voice of the “ordinary internet user of Ireland”.
   
   OK, it can be argued that we haven’t achieved anything practical to change the situation but much of this has been outside our sphere of influence – Broadband, for example, is now very much in the legal arena and there is little we can really do on this specific issue.
   
   What we have done, and in my opinion must continue to do, is bring the whole Internet access issue to the forefront of the media and expose how Eircom are strangling the development of this country; particularly in the run-up to a general election.

Sorry for the long post, and hope that I dont sound as if I'm lecturing but these things are important.

There has been a lot of ‘glamour’ attached to our first six months but now we are down to the hard slog of political and media lobbying – our ability to keep this up is the real test of the commitment of IOFFL. The worst thing we could possibly do is get wrapped up in navel gazing and silly arguments that give our opponents the chance to write us off as a bunch of nonentities.

Happy New Year everyone

Martin Harran
Chairman, Ireland Offline

Fergus

Well said. Indeed, here we are at 2002, and still no FRIACO, broadband, etc. The demands of IOffL are sadly still as valid as ever - if not more so.

As Martin says, we are into nitty-gritty stuff now. We have credibility and publicity on our side. I would hope we will all (a) continue the effort to contribute information and analysis to further highlight the cause, and (b) continue to make contact with, lobby, and persuade more and more people and organisations that can do something about it.

dragonkin

Any group with as many disatisfied user as IOFFL is bound to have these sort of problems especially if greviences are voiced in such a public (and permanent) way therefore censorship is required when the only established action groups name is under threat (it is an important asset remember). And if ppl want to shout abuse at eircom (which they deserve, a thousand times over) then they should do so but not in a way which discredit IOFFL.. so I believe censorship in this case is fully justified.

But maybe a list of things that ppl are able to do locally would be a good idea as there is a large number of ppl desperatly looking for ways to help. Maybe if some sort of petition was organised or if local groups were set up to endorse and advertise IOFFL in their local areas.. this would increase publicity. which is vital

DK

Macker

Very valid comments but....and it's a big but,
lets suppose Green peace adopted that attitude,where would they be now ,same goes for Amnesty.
I know our agenda is not as important but it shouldn't mean we can't adopt the same methods.....
we've tried nicey....nicey ..why not a little bit of nasty

Just my 2p
can't do the euro bit yet ,I'll read that thread in tech when I get a minute

Macker

seamus

Looking for a listing of 'achievements' from IOFFL is a very diifcult thing to do. Martin's list of the various things - meetings, recognition, praise are exactly what is to be expected of a pressure group, and imo IOFFL has some of the most highly motivated people driving it, all of whom deserve our applause (and a free pint ) February - December. 10 months, and already IOFFL is known as the representative of the little guy, I would say that's pretty damn good.

Let's remember that IOFFL is a pressure group. And, as such, will never have the power to physically change the situation. For example, let's say, after numerous attempts, eircom finally submits and gives us FRIACO. What do you think it's gonna say in the papers? 'Eircom gives in to IOFFL's demands'? Or maybe 'Eircom to offer flat-rate internet access to all households across the country'. I think the latter, and you can be sure there will be no mention of Ireland Offline anywhere. If you want to make a physical change, join the government, eircom or the ODTR. And when all this is finally over, when we have affordable broadband, and FRIACO, do you think anyone will remember IOFFL? No. It will dissolve gracefully, with no recognition for any achievements. The only things IOFFL can achieve are intangible, such as education and influence. But as a dedicated member, you can at least know that you helped make a difference. What do you want declared as our achievements? ADSL in Dublin? Fibre in Limerick? The only ppl who can give us these are eircom, the government or the ODTR. We can't force them to provide the services, all we can do is shout in their ears to get them off their asses.

o_donnel_abu

Originally posted by Macker

we've tried nicey....nicey ..why not a little bit of nasty

No, Macker, there has been a lot of discussion on this previously and any knind of 'nasty' action has been completely ruled out.

Martin

dahamsta

Thread split and troll posts (and responses) moved to "Marcus Talking Out His Butt". Please go to the Recycle Bin if you wish to continue in this vein.

adam

Xian

Well said, Martin

dobdobdo

Well said o_donnel_abu
If you shout loud enough for long enough ... you will be heard. Now they've heard ... will they listen?
Me tinks they will )
The General Election ... Now that is the opportunity?

gandalf

Yep its election time. Start writing those letters and when those lovely politicans call around remember to have a "quiet" word in their ear

Gandalf.

Boston

Reports of all meatings were never fully disclosed, nothing new here, never a problem before, dotn see why it would be a problem now