Are you saying that this entire discussion violated established policy and effectively never happened, msbelle?

Dare ya.

Cheesebutt.

Well, in fact, if someone who wasn't here for this discussion (say), chose not to obey the new potentially consensed rule about posting in their profile, they could get thrown off the board, couldn't they?

not immediately.

Instead of a blanket no-sockpuppet rule, people would be expected to ID themselves in their profile. To not do so would be considered rude - particularly when asked to identify themselves - and that rudeness would be actionable but only within context. Rude is not an automatic banning. It is considered within context, and has to be brought over to Bureau as a formal grievance where it would be discussed. Like that.

Making a formal announcement means everybody should be apprised in the change in board etiquette.

not immediately

No, they would have to demonstrate "consistent demon-like behaviour", with unidentified sockpuppetry *now* defined as such (ie. a few posts as the sockpuppet, after being "warned" by someone). I think that comfortably constitutes being within the ambit of the conversation.

(ie. a few posts as the sockpuppet, after being "warned" by someone).

Don't forget the first "try to work it out in thread" step. Or is that presumed to be "Tell me who you are, sockpuppet!" "No, you should guess," as a failed "working it out in thread?

yeah - so ok - is THAT document (cheesebutt in LINKS or linked to from the FAQ?)

FTR - here is the voting procedure:

- No other proposals are currently on the table.

- You post a formal proposal (use words like wherefore!) in Bureaucracy.

- Four other people say "I second that".

- Someone in Bureaucracy volunteers to count votes.

- A Stompy Foot opens Light Bulb immediately.

- You post in Press the text of your proposal, and link to Light Bulb.

- You post the text of your proposal in Light Bulb.

- Light Bulb discussion for (roughly) 4 days.

- You take the text of your proposal and phrase it for the final ballot (You may change the language from your original proposal if you choose, or not).

- You send the final ballot text to Jon B.

- Jon B. notifies you that the web ballot is ready and gives you the link.

- You post in Press the final ballot text, the link to the ballot, and the dates and times of voting opening and closing (3 days total).

- You post in Light Bulb the same as you've just posted in Press, ending discussion in Light Bulb.

- You wait for the voting period to end and the vote-counter to count.

- The vote-counter reposts the final ballot text with the results (number of votes, winning vote, percentages).

______ I am for following the guidelines as they are set forth, especially since nothing changes until that time and nothing needs to be changed right this very second.

I am for following the guidelines as they are set forth, especially since nothing changes until that time and nothing needs to be changed right this very second.

We have, by precedent, allowed proposals to be withdrawn without voting.

Are you saying that should not have happened/should not happen here?

Well, we could have Betsy propose that she's a weirdo. We could vote on that.

Doesn't look like the fact of this particular discussion ever got posted in Press, by the way. Past the point of usefulness now, I suppose.

Identifying in profile and adding that to the FAQ seems like a reasonable compromise. Don't particularly feel the need to vote formally on it.

Well, I think a withdrawl of a proposal that leaves the board as is, is different than stopping discussion on a proposal and deciding to make a policy change without a vote.

I am on dial-up and so didn't go all the way through the cheesebutt document, but is there anything in there about what type of board changes require a vote?

At the very least - the proposal needs to be posted in Press to alert anyone who would like to be a part of the discussion. I would hate to stop discussion before that.

I feel like proposing a group hug, but I'll resist. How about some calm, weary smiles of respect and congratulations on solving another one?