[free-sklyarov] lists

[tack]

hey all,

I agree with Seth that we need to evaluate the extent to which this list
is active, and the cross-posting issue.

As we have seen, and illustrated in a previous post, this struggle is a
multi-front conflict.  This list was created to address one of those
fronts.

I think we should put some planning into how we organize ourselves so we
can spilt up the traffic and have a more effective structure.  In
particular, I think we should invest time into building a network which
can adapt to and swarm on evolving particular instances of this conflict.

My thoughts are influenced by this study of netwar (network organization),
particularly the chapters on the Burma struggle, chiapas rebellion and
seattle protests communication structure (social netwars section):
http://www.rand.org/publications/MR/MR1382/

So with that in mind, I propose the following list structure:

Core group.  A list of the people who've organized all these things.  List
moderators and local organizers.  These are people who are focusing on
their individual aspects of the struggle, but are like minded in the
things we want to change (stopping enabling statues of the WIPO treaty
(dmca), maintaining fair use rights and maintaining free speech rights).
this would more or less be a general policy and direction list.  the
members would get a feel for what's going on broad spectrum, and should
key figures in a particular front be arrested or otherwise silenced,
one/some of the members could easily pick up the slack or regain contact
with the affinity group they represented, and help them compensate for
the loss.  It is not a governing body as much as it is a round table for
key figures to swap notes and reach consensus, with the input of the
people they work with.  This should be an encrypted list, soliciting
members after a trust relationship has been established.  Chat should
use SSL (jabber?).  We don't want our opponents lurking here.

Law list.  This list focuses on the legal front.  It concentrates our
global brain-trust of legal experts and works as a legal force amplifier.
We should encourage legal teams active in cases to at least lurk in here
to get a feel for what their opponents are up to on a global level.  Some
of the more active members are in core group.

PR list.  Our PR flack/media.  These are reporters, pr people, spin
doctors.  We need to control public perception, as illustrated in the
stealing meme thread.  This is our meme factory and brainstorming session
on how to get our message across to the public at large.  Even if we
lose the battles, if we get public opinion on our side we can still
win the war.  They are charged with designing flyers, web sites, media
relations and other associated duties.  Some of the more active members
are in core group.

Action list.  Global activity list.  This list organizes the efforts of
our activists for PR, protests, letter writing...anything we need lots of
people to do in meatspace.  This list has localized sublists (as in the
structure of free-sklyarov lists) so that we can couple global planning
with local action while enabling local actors to act without the need of
centralized planning.  We should welcome the input of the organizers of
the Burma efforts to planning this.  Some of the more active members are
in core group.

Issue groups.  These lists come end go as the specific issues/incidents
they address arrive and pass.  They are created ad-hoc as the conflict
space changes, lasting years, months days or even just hours.  They also
can be existing external entities which form temporary alliances with our
groups.

General list.  The general list is very noisy.  This will be where anybody
can report on new incidents so that efforts can be organized around that
particular effort.  It is our affinity group factory.  Issue groups
(free-somebody, boycott so-and-so) can be created here, and the thread
splintered off from the general group.  This is also a broad news list,
with the ohter lists posting updates and requests for help.

Anyway, this is just a thought.  I think we should organize around core
issues, and spin the discussions off to particular efforts to further our
goals.  I don't think free-sklyarov general should fit this role...I think
we should create appropriate groups for our functions, and individually
join the ones we feel we can best contribute to (participation in
multiple groups is encouraged).  If this is already the case, that's
great, else we may want to invest some thought into this.  I look forward
to Elcom being aquitted.  The retirement of this particular list after
that would be a sign of success.

tack