Since we had an eruption of posts that may have subverted this I am   
   resending... I'm surprised that no one has commented on it.   
      
   -- Allen   
      
   =--=--=--=--=--=--=   
      
   Everyone please read to the ABSOLUTE end of this message before commenting,   
   I ask everyone to respectfully do that and keep an open mind.   
      
   --------   
      
   Yes back in the day I was very good friends with Asha Develder, it was my   
   hopes that I could reconnect with Asha to get this back where it used to be.   
   I'm finding out now that she passed away in 2009 and I have to say that it   
   has hit me hard, I never got to say goodbye to her.  The last time by BBS   
   Was connected in fidonet was in 2007 so it has been almost 10 years, and   
   she's gone.  So what I am doing here is in honor of her.   
      
      
   The echo was sitting dormant, close to being dropped from the backbone and   
   it needed to be awakened.  I don't see all the dissent presneted here so far   
   as a bad thing.  If anything it gives me great hope becuase it is telling me   
   that there are people here that care about the echo... hopefully this means   
   that they also care about the Amiga community and want to see things   
   progress.  The best way to keep things in development is to keep a visible   
   and active community going on the net somewhere.  I believe we can have that   
   here.   
      
   I had several goals and objectives to legitimize the echo and stabilize it   
   in the backbone distribution system.   
      
   Let me share them with you... and again I ask that you read all the way to   
   the bottom before forming a solid opinion and continuing.   
      
      
      1. Objective Goal - Get the echo E-listed in Z1 to stabilize backbone   
         distribution of the AMIGA echo.  As it was it could (and probably   
         should have been dropped from backbone distribution a couple of   
         months past.)   
      
      2. Objective Goal - WAKE UP the echo by whatever means possible.   
         Obviously it's awakened as so mny people are sharing their   
         opinions of it.   
      
      3. Objective Goal - Establish basic non restrictive rules and post   
         them monthly according to ECHOPOL1 - at least for now.   
      
       === ALL OF THESE BASIC OBJECTIVE GOALS HAVE BEEN ACCOMPLISHED ===   
      
      
   Now to discuss the issue of moderatorship.  There is no moderator of record   
   on this echo anywhere... no activity of who is moderator... no catalog in   
   any zone or message in the past few years of anyone claiming to be a   
   moderator.  So in the E-listing and the posting of rules I have claimed to   
   be it's moderator only in the capacity to legitimize and stablilze the echo   
   so we can move forward and build the echo back to where it used to be.   
      
   I know that there are many hobbiests out there that still use the Amiga...   
   heck I know one person who still uses a Coleco Adam and he is an author who   
   has written several books on it... one recently.   
      
   The Amiga is a niche machine, and there are STILL people out there actively   
   using it. Some don't know me but in 2003/2004 I revived and revitalized a   
   LOT of echos... some I had to stir things up a bit to get them going... I   
   wanted to wake up the Amiga users... guess what... you guys are awake... and   
   talking now... mission objective achieved.   
      
      
   So here's my goal as to where the moderator ship has been.  I've done this   
   only in the INTERUM Capacity.  Not only have I revived a few echos in my   
   day, I've also revived many civic and faith-based programs in my communitiy.   
   And to do it sometimes I have had to shake some things up.   
      
   With that... here's my desires.   
      
       1.  I want to have an election... I am disabled and believe it or not   
           I am quite ill, I can only look at a computer screen for about 15   
           minutes before the letters start running together and nausea sets   
           in.  I really don't want to moderate this... I was hopign I could   
           entice Asha back, but that ship sailed on to heaven in 2009.   
      
       2.  To have the election we need to do it right... I don't need to   
           tell the other sysops here what a big disaster it has been to keep   
           rush a moderator election.  So like I said I am doing this only   
           in the interum.   
      
           To do this correctly we have to take the time to do it right.   
      
      
           I am going to repeat that in all caps:  TO DO THIS CORRECTLY WE   
           HAVE TO TAKE THE TIME TO DO IT RIGHT.   
      
      
           We must ensure that everyone has a fair chance to nominate a   
           moderator, vote, and install the moderator with as much legitimacy   
           as we possibly can.  That's why I am proposing we have an election   
           on the 1st of September of 2016.  That gives us ample time to do it   
           right.  I am also askign that the Candidates be nominated by July   
           5th.  Then we can spend the time from July 6th - Sep 1st to get   
           know the candidates.  The elected moderator will be installed   
           shortly after the election.   
      
       3.  Whatever echo rules that need to be changed can be changed, the   
           new moderator can either post them monthly themselves, or I will   
           happily make sure that they are posted automatically.  The ELIST   
           in Z1 will reflect the change of moderatorship and every effort   
           will be made to comply with the Z1 Echolist, ECHOPOL1 and etc.   
      
      
     Going forward if a moderator is unable to serve in the capacity of the   
     moderatorship then they can appoint someone to finish their term and a new   
     election will happen on schedule.  However the Users of the echo must   
     voice their objection to the moderator.  PER Echopol1 the moderator   
     must participate in the echo.  I understand that real life things can   
     happen like an illness that may take a moderator out of the equation,   
     but the moderator has to be willing to do the job, and able.  As far   
     as I am concerned this elected moderator's term should be as long as   
     they are willing and able to do the job, or until the participants call   
     for another election.  The moderators minimum term should be one year   
     from installation.   
      
      
     I don't think that any of this is unreasonable at all.  I came in...   
     stirred the pot a bit and we have activity.   
      
                    ===========================================   
      
      Now I have a few requests for the people who are now active.   
      
      
        1.  Let's try to stay on topic moving forward on anything Amiga   
            related... share some memories of Asha, talk about programs   
            of the past.  Talk about the new amiga clones... there are so   
            so many things we can do to revive the community.   
      
      
        2.  BUILD - BUILD - and BUILD - meaning contact local Amiga groups   
            tell others about the echo... try to get people to return to the   
            echo.  I'm trying to keep track of all the ways people can   
            access the Amiga echo.  There are MANY ways we can get people   
            connected.  People don't have to dial up a BBS anymore some   
            BBS's are functional web-forums people can participate in now.   
      
            We must all do what we can to get the Amiga Users Groups back,   
            and revitalize the AMIGA brand with the echo.   
      
        3.  Have some fun.... this is a HOBBY not a Life so please relax a   
            bit.   
      
      
   Now I hope you guys don't think I'm the big "Devil" anymore.  Perhaps we can   
   show the world and Fidonet as a whole how to revitalize an echo and   
   legitmately install a proper moderator.   
      
   I am probably the most reasonable person you guys can ever work with.   
   Before you write me off as a madman, look at how we have all woke back up.   
   Now what we do with this awakening is up to you guys.  Let's do something   
   awesome here.   
      
   Now that you have read the entire message, please share comments.  Can we do   
   this?   
      
      
     == Allen   
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
   ... Imagination -- intelligence in recreation mode.   
   --- MultiMail/Win32 v0.49   
    * Origin: Derby City LiveWire - Louisville, KY - livewirebbs.dy (1:2320/100)