MAJOR ISSUE: "Concentration of power"

[Keith Moore]

> I felt this way during my early IETF involvement.  I
> could see places where I could contribute, and I believed
> that I had the ability and commitment to make a real
> contribution to the IETF (opinions may still differ on
> that ;-)), but I didn't understand how to sign-up...

when I was an AD one newbie actually took the trouble to politely ask me how
to sign up.  I told him he didn't need any permission to submit
internet-drafts, and that if he tried to recognize problems that needed
solving and work on them, could demonstrate that he knew what he was doing,
and could work to get consensus within a group of people with varied
interests, that most working groups would be happy to have his help.  it
seemed to work for him.