[wplug-plan] Re: [wplug] Bylaws

David Tessitor dttessitor at home.com
Tue Feb 13 22:33:49 EST 2001


The alternative is to make up the rules as you go.  Who makes up those rules?
And, how fair is it to have a sew rule made up when your point of view is
about to be presented or considered?

The only fair way is to have something that has been tested in informal and
formal bodies, something that is available for all to refer to and which is
designed to give equal consideration to every member.  That is what Roberts
Rules is.  Colonel Roberts spent a number of years dealing with group after
group which were as organizationally dysfunctional as WPLUG, and it was after
his frustrating experiences that he set down a method for orderly decision
making -- not just having someone who enthusiastically stands up on a chair in
the front corner of the room and speaks louder than everybody else.  Having
seen the latter happen at WPLUG, I can say it is not an effective process --
that is what Roberts Rules are designed to avoid while still having that
enthusiastic individual able to speak, but with a voice that is equal to
others.

If people who haven't used Linux before were as adverse to every trying it as
some people are to learning the simple process of using Roberts Rules (or any
other deliberative procedures), Linus would still be playing with his
operating system at his home in Finland.  All I can say is that the fear of
the unknown can be very stifling and if one is to grow, one must simply push
past it.  Give it a chance with half as much energy as with which people are
fighting it and it there won't be any problem.

Dave

P.S.  Every one of the bylaws which Jonathan found last fall on the Internet
for other LUG's had Roberts Rules as their reference for procedures not
covered in their bylaws.  I've never pushed Roberts Rules at any of the Member
Organizational Meetings, but I mention them here since some people seem to be
phobic about them and it's holding back discussion we need to be having
instead.

 ==================
Zach Paine wrote:

> I personally do not like RR for wplug.  It seems to me that it only helps
> those who are familiar with it, and is simply a means for people to push
> agendas.  It provides undue formality.  Perhaps plan meetings will require
> some format and structure, but I think RR is overkill.
>
> --




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