MAJOR ISSUE: "Concentration of power"

[Scott W Brim]

On Thu, Jun 19, 2003 10:49:05AM -0400, Joel M. Halpern allegedly wrote:
> If, as I suspect, the folks who have talked about the IETF operating
> on personal trust are correct, then this ('ruling class' tending to
> talk to itself) is merely a symptom.  Folks who have worked together
> extensively will tend to develop an understanding of each other, and
> this fosters a useful trust model which encourages personal
> communication.  I will tend to talk more with folks I have worked with
> even when I disagree with them because I know how to interact with
> them.  I think that the core issue is the reliance on inter-personal
> trust and inter-personal communication rather than an actual
> concentration of power as described.

I would say the problem is not even reliance on personal trust, since
that is essential.  How about: there are no explicit IETF mechanisms
which make it easy for newer people to enter into those webs of personal
trust.

The reliance on personal communication is a problem, and especially as
Harald pointed out, the reliance on personal knowledge for institutional
memory.

.swb