[uf-discuss] Gags (was: Voluntary Public Domain declarations now enabled on the wiki)

[Andy Mabbett]

In message
<21e770780708010314s1829c803v943a7784e27529e5 at mail.gmail.com>, Brian
Suda <brian.suda at gmail.com> writes

>On 8/1/07, Joe Andrieu <joe at andrieu.net> wrote:
>>Finally, the lack of transparency is the most frustrating aspect of this decision.
>>Why aren't these issues laid out on the wiki and discussed on a governance list?
>>This sort of elusive autocratic leadership undermines my trust in the administrators.

>--- please be aware that discussion of Legal issues SHOULD NOT be send
>to this list, but instead taken up DIRECTLY with Rohit and commercenet.

Perhaps you ought to point that out to Rohit, and to Tantek Celik, both
of whom have discussed legal issues here in the last week or so. Or does
the rule not apply to them?

Perhaps we could have a list of who is allowed to discuss what?

I also understood, per:

        <http://microformats.org/wiki/faq>

that "CommerceNet is graciously hosting the servers, but claims no
control over microformat standards". Indeed, CommerceNet are not even
mentioned on:

        <http://microformats.org/wiki/governance>

and we're told on that page that Rohit's (only?) role is "an ex officio
observer of microformats-admin, as the contact point for the servers and
the domain name".

I can understand your apparent confusion about who is, and is not,
responsible for what - it's certainly not made very clear anywhere I've
seen.

Perhaps the community would prefer such discussion to take place
somewhere less controlled, and more public?

>This list is best server when we do NOT discuss legal issues

The main "governance" page:

        <http://microformats.org/wiki/governance>

says:

        governance related threads on microformats-discuss are low and
        manageable and can therefore be stated there

What are legal issues, if not part of governance?

>which very few, if any, of this audience are qualified to weigh in on.

What qualifications are required? And checked everyone's CVs?

In any case, I think you will find that I am very well - uniquely, even
- qualified to say what permission I give to others with regard to use
of my IP, just as Joe is about his and his company's.

>Please read:
>http://microformats.org/wiki/microformats-issues#Legal_Entity_Issues
>
>"Please refer any legal questions or concerns directly to CommerceNet
>before raising them as a matter of public record, as discussed on the
>mailing list [1] (http://microformats.org/discuss/mail/microformats-
>discuss/2006-November/007086.html)."

It also says:

        Note that CommerceNet, LLC does not exercise any editorial
        control over the content of the site, mailing list,
        specifications, or the process

which seems somewhat contradictory.

-- 
Andy Mabbett