MESSAGE
| DATE | 2003-07-16 |
| FROM | From: "Inker, Evan"
|
| SUBJECT | RE: [hangout] Update on Handbook
|
After reading this post, I'm deeply vexed and left in a quandary whether I
should start singing
Glory Glory Hallelujah, His Truth Keeps Matching On"
Or
"Go Down Moses, Let My People Go!"
Regards,
Evan M. Inker
-----Original Message-----
From: Ruben Safir [mailto:ruben-at-mrbrklyn.com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 11:14 PM
To: hangout-at-nylxs.com
Subject: [hangout] Update on Handbook
What is this document:
This is the handbook for NYLXS Members. In this document new members
will find the basic outline of what NYLXS is, what the roll is for its
members, and the rights and responsibilites which members have in the
relationship to NYLXS and and the general Free Software community.
If your reading this document, it means that you've taken an important
first step in your development as a good citizen of the Free Software
community and the world at large. It means that you've paid your NYLXS
dues, and have made a commitment to improving in a meaningful fashion
your future, and the future of others. Let me be the first person to
stand up, shake your hand, and welcome to to NYLXS. Your contribution
is apreciated.
Our generation has been lucky enough to have been born at one of the
critical junctions in human history when the decisions we make today,
and the technology which we are developing will alter pernamently the
fabric of our reality as a society and a civilization. With the
explosive growth of digital information, we have in our grasp today the
ability break long standing barriers to individual and social progress
through the wide spread of inexpenssive information and
communications. Computer technology has lowered to barrier of entry
for nearly every individual on the planet to become a full participant
in the global economy and are responsible members of the world
community.
The very shape of human psycology and cultural reference is making a
massive shift do to the availablilty of inexpenssive digital
communications. This event has only taken place two other times in
human civilization. The first time mankind was on such a threshold was
with the invention of the written word. Prior to the invention of
writing, mankind existed as an undomesticated, wild species. Early
examples of prehistoric art and tools shows a fundementally different
species from the perspective of social fabric and individual thought.
Primitive cave art shares a free flow of form, without structure,
horizon lines or sufficticated organizations. The naturalistic styles
of these prehistoric civilizations, such as they represent a
civilization, are relatively devoid of abstract symbolism to the degree
of post writing civilization. In fact, writing itself was a great leap
in abstraction from pictorials and pictureglyphs of prehistoric man.
After the invention of writing, the change in civilization was sudden,
and dramatic. It reflects a new human species where the accumulation
of knowledge and the ability to create and work in the abstraction of
written language allowed for the not only a completely different
fundemental thinking process for the human species, but also allowed
for organization of society along classes of power and wealth. There
is no way to think about conquering your neighbor over the hill if you
don't have the written word to record and coney accounts of their
assets and advantages, to communicate remotely with your allies and
enemies, and without a means to construct a governing administration
over a wide geographical area.
Obviously, those with the ability and resources to become educated in
writing could standardize their belief systems and enforce those
beliefs on those without such means available to them. In fact, as
soon as the ability to write is developed, the monopolization of means
of writing immediately becomes the tool of power and wealth. After
nearly a 1000 years of revolution, which cumumlates and finally
stabilizes with the advent of the Greco-Roman empire in the West, and
the great Chinese Dynasties in the east. Civilization cursed along in
nuetral for about a 1000 more years until the next great revolution,
which this time democratized greately the distribution of information
and knowledge. This next great technological revolution is rise of the
printing press in the West. The advent of the printing press sets off
both the Western Renaissance, the Age of Exploration, and the 400 years
of bloodshed which we euphamistically call the Protestant Revolution,
which expressed itself as not only a struggle between the knowledge
rich Catholic Church against the developing middle classes of Europe,
and plays itself out in a broader sense in the entire colonial era
exploitation of native peoples world wide. If you think to brush off
the democratizing affect of inexpensive paper books, consider the
import that Southern American slave owners put on keep their negor
slaves illiterate.
The advent of the printing press unleashed a whole new kind of human
being, and a new kind of civilization.
And today, we are facing a new revolution in information, one where Al
Greenberg sneezes on the stock echange at 2:00PM in NY and prices in
world markets fall in stock prices at 2:01PM, even in Hong Kong.
Clarily the choices we make today will affect our civilization and our
species for hundreds, if not thousands of years into the future. How
will that world look, and how bloody will the the transition for
civilization be? This is the questions NYLXS is concerned with. We
believe Free Software is the key to keeping a Free Society into the
future, and is the best way to guarantee that we can maximize the
benefits of the digital revolution, while minimizing the potentional
pitfalls, such as those described in the important fictional work by
George Orwell in the book titled '1984'.
What is NYLXS?
NYLXS is a non-profit educational corperation incorperated in 2002 in
the State of New York. It is run by an elected board of members drawn
from the general membership. The organization is established for the
education of the public about Free Software. The primary mission of
NYLXS is education. We educate the public about Free Software and the
importance of Free Software in the three pillars of modern society:
The sphere of business, the sphere of the body politc, and the sphere
of education. The policies of NYLXS are designed to promote leadership
in Free Software Ideals. NYLXS is in the business of education as
outlined and as a basis for its basic charter with the State of New
York.
NYLXS is also in the business of developing leadership, both for the
present, and for the future. Leadership skills in Free Software
advocacy is the primary membership benefit. New members are trained to
lead by sharpening their skills in public presentation, in
organizational skills, in writing skills, in technical skills, in
collaberation skills, and in political skills. These skills are
developed by applying lessons to real world problem solving.
What does NYLXS offer me a member?
NYLXS offers you nothing as member accept for the opportunity to make a
differrence in the world and to learn leadership/ Although members of
NYLXS often achive some personal satisfaction, or other minor benefits,
anyone joining NYLXS expecting direct benefits, or to become rich, is
going to be largely disappointed. NYLXS was established as a vehicle
for you to make meaningful contributions to others. In exchange, we
hope you find commradery, friendship, and a sense of individual
accomplishment. But other than that, NYLXS is focused on contributions
that we make to the public, not achivement of individual goals.
Is NYLXS a techology organization?
With certainty, the answer to this question is no. NYLXS is an
educational organization. Teaching the public about the importance of
Free Software is this mission of NYLXS, and teaching about the
political orientation with regard to digital information in which Free
Software needs to survive and which has succeeded to propel it into a
world-wide phenomena. While the disemination of technical skills to
professionals and the public as a whole is a part of the over mission
of NYLXS, it is only one goal of many, and not even the largest goal of
the organization.
How does one become a member of NYLXS?
Voting membership in NYLXS is achieved by paying a $40 annual
membership fee, plus giving 20 hours of approved volunteer hours within
the framework of the NYLXS's committees. In addition, new memebers
need to attend a 2 hour orientation session. Committee heads need to
attend a 2 hour leadership seminar anually.
NYLXS sounds like serious business.
Yes - it is.
NYLXS Membership Code of Conduct
1.Do no harm:
Members of NYLXS are expected to represent the organization and members
in a positive way. Public remarks disparaging other members
motivations, religion, creed, sex, or other affiliations is stickly
forbidden. The main NYLXS mailing list, hangout-at-nylxs.com, as well as
the FSCC and the learn mailing lists are considered public and not the
place for rigorous organizational disagreements. While it is
encouraged that members participate in orgnizational business on the
hangout mailing list, and even voice disagreement and engage in the
process of government, the following activities are highly discouraged :
Attacking to motivations of a member for an actitivity or action they
take in their duties.
Public discussion of private or personal matters for the purpose of
embarassing a member or in the course of discussing other matters
between members and then having private issues filter into the public
discussion.
Statements made designed to hinder the effectiveness of another member
in the course of their duties, or designed to give a member a leg up on
another member in the group.
Statements designed to harm another members business, job or client
relationships
2. Follow the NYLXS Charter in word and spirit:
NYLXS, Inc is different from most Free Software organizations. NYLXS
is a legal entitity with a legal charter, trademarks and copyrights.
In addition, NYLXS has chatel (legaleze from real property) with
includes multiple computers, a video camera, sound equiptment, and
more. As a member of NYLXS it is your responsibility as a member to
familarize yourself with the charter and other rules. This handbook is
designed as a general source for this information, but it is not likely
to be complete.
In addtion, NYLXS has specific goals and an overall plan as to how to
accomplish its stated mission. These specific goals might evolve over
time, but as a member of NYLXS you will be expected to support the
organizations specific methods and goals. Even as a member of the
NYLXS board, one needs to keep in mind that your a temporary holder of
office, and you should respect the tradition, and efforts of the
organization.
NYLXS affords you many oppurtunities to develop both leadership and
exercize your voice as a voting member. It is within the structure of
the NYLXS governance that you have been granted the priviledge to
affect policy and direction. Nobody, even the NYLXS founder, is bigger
than the organization.
3.Work To be Better Tomorrow:
One of the key elements to an effective organization, may it be in
business, politics or any other venue, is that the organization is able
to recruit and develop talent from within, and to train its members in
the fundementals of leadership and administration. Much of NYLXS's
success has been directly atributable to tight organization, and well
thought out planning. Furthermore, our organization has grown in its
ability to represent itself to government, beurocrats, business
leaders, Congressmen, city officials and the public. If you think
you've learned everything there is to know about influencing others,
making presentations, and leading in the field, then NYLXS is not the
organization for you. NYLXS needs people capable to leading and
capabile of following. In fact, the first lesson of leadership is
learning how to follow effectively.
NYLXS has a great need for leutenents in the field, as actions, in
setting up functions, in doing the leg work. These are all skills
which you can later apply to all other aspects of your life. The basic
people skills which will lead to success for your NYLXS carreer will
serve you in every other organization you will ever be come part of.
4.Help others:
As a member of NYLXS, and as part of the NYLXS mission, we are always
looking for ways to constructively help others in the Free Software
community. Your participation in other groups in the New York area
which advocate Free Software such as NYLUG, NY Wireless, Perl Mongers,
NYPHP, GNUBIES, etc, as a member and representitive of NYLXS is highly
encouraged. There are exceptions to this, however, and you should
check with NYLXS leadership for more details on this.
5. Don't Just Think About Doing Something, Do it.
NYLXS has a motto: We are Do'ers. In organizing events, and getting
things done, NYLXS always has more to do than we have hands. Pick up
the slack. Ask how you can help. Schedule some extra time. Review
the calender of events frequently and anticpate the needs of committee
events and be ready to help. This is the organization which held a 14
hour installfeast (until 4 in the morning) and followed it up a trip to
Washington DC. And some of our members would describe that as a
regular day in the organization.
____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
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____________________________
NYLXS: New Yorker Free Software Users Scene
Fair Use -
because it's either fair use or useless....
NYLXS is a trademark of NYLXS, Inc
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