Message: 2
Date: Fri, 7 Mar 2008 17:26:23 -0500
From: Marc Hartstein <marc.hartstein@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Icehouse] Icehouse / Treehouse forum?
To: icehouse@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID: <20080307222622.GL13101@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"
The directorship has responsibilities to the business and to its
investors. A lot of decisions which seem really obvious to you and me
still can't be taken trivially, because they have to consider their
impact on the business as a whole, and also on the LL brand.
They don't feel they can simultaneously be responsible directors and
just let the community make these kinds of decisions regarding anything
official, because the community doesn't have the same responsibility to
the business. It's kind of annoying, but I think it makes sense. After
all, anything they sign off on, it's their responsibility (and their
paycheck) that benefits or suffers at the end of the day. So they feel
they need to think all these things through carefully.
Okay, I am fairly new here, and pretty much just read and don't say much because I am not near as wise, or clever, as most of the people I have seen on this list. I have been watching the whole forum debate with a curious interest, but no real opinion. I will go where I need to for news & stuff. But suddenly this question puts many things in perspective.
How much control/influence can Looney Labs have over a forum as opposed to several lists? And how much work is it?
Yes you can use volunteer moderators, but I have seen how poorly that can work out if you get moderators who are enthusiastic but have an agenda. (Totally thinking about a well loved game from my past which was re-released, (to much personal joy) but keeping informed was distastefull due to forum "moderators")
The point is, as convenient & functional as a forum might be, how much will it change the influence and (when occasionally necessary) control the Looney Labs have over their official image? Especially considering how small and lightly staffed they are. I understand that volunteer labor is possible, but how do you ensure volunteers don't have an agenda they are pushing without making volunteering so torturous it isn't worthwhile?