News from the Board of Directors.

[Emerald ní Róhan]

Zasha, I trust you less, now. D:

Just kidding. I never trusted you. :shifty

 

[Jeffan Caliarthan]

This thread makes me violent. But instead of violence, I'm just gonna watch and comment in private to people who aren't irrational and sexist.

 

[Jalen te'Kreg]

I'm okay with this as long as we don't put any asians on the board of directors and give them universal access.


And now, in all seriousness: these are people hired to do professional, necessary jobs as board members. If you want to limit their abilities over their gender, nationality, ethnic heritage, sexual preference or anything other than whether they can do the job professionally and without abusing their access then you need your head examined.

As far as I know the only time unauthorized access has been a problem it was a woman hijacking someone else's account. So spare me the sexism.

 

[Zashara Sho'am]

If thinking that my post was a response to any specific person makes that person feel better then s/he is welcome to keep thinking that. If you actually read the entirety of my post objectively you'd notice that the "trusting the board" and "censoring" issues are purely of my own invention. Additionally, the initial paragraph was a direct response to Jeffy and his implication that I'm not important and don't say important things. The entire post was a satirical take on many recent events that have occurred here, along with an opportunity to take a poke at the Board. My only regret is that Viv isn't on the board for I had a beautiful line about her. In fact, my mockery can even be applied to my own actions in other threads.

Indeed, voicing dissent is a critical part of any community. In fact, I have frequently voiced my dissent both publicly and privately. I also believe in that when there is a clear and ubiquitous rationale behind dissent that it deserved to be discussed, and in some cases that discussion should be in view of the entire membership.

It is rather interesting to me that no men have come forward to say that they are uncomfortable with women having access to their forums. If the next Membership Director or Keeper or Amyrlin is male, then they would also have access to all of the forums to perform their duties. To keep men from those roles would be discriminatory. But, if there is enough concern regarding gender-only forums then the scope of the role would have to be redefined or clarified. I do think that if we are going to argue that men should not have access to female only forums the the converse should also be argued for. However, I cannot see how this would work, but if someone was to have an alternative then they should present it in an appropriate manner.

 

[Azi al'Thone]

Sweet, let's make this thread into a flame war because That's What We Do.

 

[Jeffan Caliarthan]

I, for one, am incredibly uncomfortable with any female having access to the Gaidin forum. We discuss serious things in there and the fact that a woman can see it now makes me question everything that I have ever said in there. In fact, I am going to go there right now and make sure that I haven't said anything that I wouldn't want a woman to see.

Or, I would, if it actually mattered.

 

[Raam Sho'am]

It is, but one a situation that is unavoidable. No matter what you do, someone can get access to that information if they want to. Our software isn't enterprise-level security. Anyone with fileserver access and the know-how can log in and view the database. I'm not sure if our filesystem is encrypted on the file storage site (I'm assuming wherever we're hosted), but I doubt it.

Sorry, I'm not meaning to be a scary boogey monster Know that their are also access logs so if anything is in question, someone's IP is recorded for just about anything they could do

Sweet, let's make this thread into a flame war because That's What We Do.

Congrats on being named an admin! I must have missed that thread.

 

[Zashara Sho'am]

I was unaware that this was a flame war or that what we do is typically get into a flame war. In fact, I don't see attacks on a person's character, simply disagreement of opinions. While I disagree with my colleagues on this subject, I do not believe that they have character defects because of their thoughts on this matter. For the most part, I believe that many of the disagreements we have on policy have been respectfully discussed by most parties involved.

I would hope that the Administration does not see these discussions as 'flame wars'. I also hope they don't feel that descending into flame wars is 'what we do'.

 

[Raam Sho'am]

While I disagree with my colleagues on this subject, I do not believe that they have character defects because of their thoughts on this matter.

They do, it's just not because of this

 

[Yelenia Hylraren]

For some folks, this was a rude awakening, I get that. The information has always been available in one form or another (who has universal access), but it's taking threads like this to get the information out and to increase transparency. I can applaud that.

It's been made clear that we shouldn't voice opinions, for or against, in these type threads. It makes Admins cranky. Those who are concerned about their privacy should probably email board@tarvalon.net. I am also in favor of a...sticky, perhaps? in SM/Dorms/Barracks? listing those with Universal Access to the different forums. That way the information is there and easy to find for newer members who are curious, and older members who have been ignorant to this point. I'll be sure to follow my own advice and email said suggestion to the board.

 

[Ilverin Matriam]

Thanks for that suggestion Yele, I think it's a good idea and it will be helpful

 

[Zashara Sho'am]

One last thing!

If anyone does have more questions, concerns, or thoughts on the matter, there is Town Hall discussion coming up in which the Keeper, Amyrlin, and other Execs will be answering all questions. Please submit your thoughts if you feel passionately about this subject!

 

[Riley Maconnar]

So that you're aware.... For a variety of reasons, the Board is revisiting this question, and we are working on what will be a reasonable direction in this area. We have found that there are a great number of facets to this, and it's not a simple, cut and dried issue.

So. As things are now.... We are retaining that perogative, but we are not using it. That is, we do not currently have that universal read-only access. Or, at least, none of us that didn't have it previously before has it now. We may not ever implement it, depending on our consideration of the issue, along with input from the Amyrlin and Keeper, after our next regularly scheduled board meeting.

So for now.... Frankie sez "relax".....

 

[Emerald ní Róhan]

I don't get where sexism is being seen. Is it really sexism for women to not want guys to read what they believed to be considered private information? Personally, I would understand the guys wanting to argue about keeping women from certain of their private forums but felt them capable of expressing themselves.
As I said, I had not intended to keep this discussion going because I know y'all don't like it, but with follow-up comments from Jeffy, Azi, Neisa... I felt it was fair game, so in I went.

Zasha, you know I was teasing you, right?

 

[Raam Sho'am]

The sexism would be in the part where until now, no one has had a problem with opposite sex members seeing private forums, but now that it's men potentially looking in on the women's forum instead of the other way around, the overall response appears to be cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.

 

[Emerald ní Róhan]

Personally, I feel the guys have as much right to want that privacy if they want it. I just haven't felt the need to speak for them. I'm assuming if it bothers any of you guys, you're able to speak for yourselves.

 

[Zashara Sho'am]

Emerylde - yeah i knew that.

I just wanted to make my position clear since my previous soliloquy seemed to have been misinterpreted.

 

[Emerald ní Róhan]

I thought your soliloquy was hilarious!

 

[Kelgan al'Moranwin]

The sexism would be in the part where until now, no one has had a problem with opposite sex members seeing private forums, but now that it's men potentially looking in on the women's forum instead of the other way around, the overall response appears to be cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war.

This is pretty much where I am. While I get that people want privacy and will tend to say things in single-gender forums that they wouldn't say otherwise, I also know that at least Serenla checks the Chambers of at least DM (and I understand the other companies as well). She only does this for administrative reasons (I'm pretty sure ), and I understand and do not have a particular problem with that. I also trust that she and all the other women who have always had access to the guys' most private forums will (a) understand that yes, we can and do say things there that might not get said in our Great Room for a plethora of reasons and (b) not abuse that privilege or enter the forum unless they actually think it's necessary. That there is such a hue and cry from certain ladies that the roles might be reversed does tend to raise questions concerning the consistency and overall functional validity of a position that essentially says it's ok for me but not for you, and does so on gender lines, particularly on this site with the principles of openness, tolerance, and community on which we all pride ourselves.

I'd also like to reiterate that certain male members have long had access to every forum on this site. This is not new.

It's been made clear that we shouldn't voice opinions, for or against, in these type threads. It makes Admins cranky. Those who are concerned about their privacy should probably email board@tarvalon.net. I am also in favor of a...sticky, perhaps? in SM/Dorms/Barracks? listing those with Universal Access to the different forums. That way the information is there and easy to find for newer members who are curious, and older members who have been ignorant to this point. I'll be sure to follow my own advice and email said suggestion to the board.

I actually think a sticky in SA would be most appropriate, so that all members can see it. This does seem the opportune place to do so. I too will be e-mailing this suggestion.

 

[Emerald ní Róhan]

Kelgan, you may be patient enough to repeat yourself a dozen times in a thread. I'm not. I will do this once more.

You're talking about a site where every level title other than Citizen is based on gender. The site is divided into sections based on gender.

It never occurred to me that men would be peeking into threads in the Aes Sedai Parlor. It never occurred to me that any of the women on the site would peek into whatever the Gaidin equivalent is.

Whether you like it or not, I don't like learning that's not the case. And like I said, I'm assuming guys can speak for themselves if it bothers them. Apparently it doesn't. So it's not a problem then.

If you guys choose to take umbrage, because I am uncomfortable with finding out that a man could read conversations in a forum where I thought it was completely private to women, that isn't my problem.

But you don't get to minimize the feelings of other members of the site by declaring we're being sexist. Wanting privacy isn't sexist other than the inherent nature of wanting to be private from the men. If there weren't a case for it, there would be no reason to HAVE an Aes Sedai Parlor.