Identification of problems

Hello,

It looks like we have decided on our voting procedure, first secretary
(Taral), and our output. Therefore, we're ready to start working!

(I'd like to remind everyone that we can always alter out output later if
circumstances warrant.)

The first step is identification of problems. Our agenda states:

> 2. Identification of problems
> Our charter contains a list of things we are to consider, and also leaves
> the door open for us to identify other problems. This stage should be
> solely the formation of a list of things we agree need help, and in the
> next stage, we'll decide whether each problem should be fixed by
> a bylaws amendment, and if so, how to do so.

So this is not the stage where we decide whether a problem is one that can
be solved by a bylaws amendment. It is not the stage where we decide
what the solution is. It's just an identification of problems, and we'll
get to the others later.

I propose we handle it this way:

1. Each of us reads the bylaws, list archives, etc., making a list of
problems we see. We send this list to spi-bylaws(at)lists(dot)spi-inc(dot)org(dot)
We will also accept input from the membership here (like always).

2. I will also send a list of the problems the Board directed us to consider
to the list.

3. The secretary takes these lists and distills them into a single document,
eliminating duplicates.

4. We evaluate this document to see if there are things listed that
are not actual problems. We should try to not add any new items
at this point.

5. The secretary removes anything we decide is not an actual problem and
posts the modified document.

That is, there is no debate prior to #4. This will help keep us focused and
avoid debating the same topic twice.

I'm thinking it might take about a week to do #1 and #2, and a few days for
#3, depending on Taral's availability, and a couple days to two weeks for
#4, depending on our level of initial consensus. So we're looking at
completing the identification of problems stage by early March at the
latest, which is about where we need to be to meet our deadlines.

As a reminder to interested visitors, our overall agenda is at
http://lists.spi-inc.org/pipermail/spi-bylaws/2003/000011.html

-- John