Re: [ALSC-Forum] Re: Another model to consider

[Karl Auerbach]

On Mon, 20 Aug 2001, Esther Dyson wrote:

> There's a third alternative. Sign up for an aliased e-mail list, so that
> you can be reached only through that list.  Then create a mechanism for a
> variety of third-party mailing lists.

That technique is useful, but it is not sufficient.

The sine qua non is that members must be able reach one another privately,
in secret, and without tipping off those who are in opposition of what is
afoot.

It is this ability to act in the background that is frequently necessary
for two people, or groups, to take what are often very difficult steps to
begin to reach compromise.  That kind of tentative outreach can
easily wither if it is forced to occur on a public mailing list.

Unlike the elected decisionmakers - such as members of the Board of
Directors - who must act in public (so that the electors can know whether
to vote for 'em or not), it is very important that electors have means to
interact with one another, if they chose to do so, in total secrecy.  And
that secrecy can be achieved only if they can reach one another without
being forced to use the vehicle of a public mailing list or public web
forum.

		--karl--