Membership

[John & Hazel]

Can somebody please explain the different forms of Membership, ie group, group/non voting etc
Also if a member is group/non voting can they propose/second nominations?

[moote]

Yes that is an excellent point I noticed this on some of the posts; maybe it is a control thing, in the same way the election of the new Chairperson was controlled.

Milton (aka Moote on GC.com)

Posted in my very special log off way :lol:

[Bill D (wwh)]

Under the terms of the constitution, only members who joined before an election was announced can vote. This was included to avoid last minute sock puppet accounts being created to influence the voting.

If you're shown as a "member" then you have voting rights, and a "member, non-voting" obviously doesn't have those rights.

Unfortunately, we've had many problems trying to keep the now huge membership list free of dead accounts whilst ensuring that everyone who is entitled to vote is listed as a voting member.

We've sent out periodical mass mailings asking people to validate their membership, but it seems that some of the emails get trapped by people's spam filters, some email addresses registered with us are no longer valid, and of course some people just don't respond to the emails.

If you became a member of GAGB before the elections were announced on September 28th then you should be showing as a "member". If you're showing as "member, non-voting" then please let us know and we'll correct that.

Three people have posted in these recent threads who were showing as non-voting, but who joined before the elections were announced. I've changed them to voting members.

[Bill D (wwh)]

There doesn't appear to be anything that says a "member, non-voting" can't nominate someone for election, or second a nomination.

[paul.blitz]

New members become "non-voting members" by default. Every so often (and not very often recently!) someone goes through the list, and upgrades the membership to be "full voting members". During the process, we weed out obvious "sock-puppet" accounts... but 99.9% just get changed.

Funnily enough, I put a post out to the GAGB committee last night asking if someone could do just this.... I'm just rather busy right now, with Hospital Radio, otherwise I would have done it myself.

As Bill says, we normally set the cutoff date as the date we call the election, to prevent "sock-puppet" accounts being created (as was alleged during the first elections).

As for who can nominate... I would say that, as long as you were a member before the election was called (and thus get upgraded to a full voting member at some point) then there's no problems nominating someone.

And if there's a problem, I'd happily nominate ANYONE who want to stand.


Paul
(currently not actually on the GAGB committee, since Bill took over as Chairman!!!)

[John Stead]

Originally posted by paul.blitz@Nov 3 2005, 09:52 PM
Paul
(currently not actually on the GAGB committee, since Bill took over as Chairman!!!)
For heaven's sake someone co-opt him!

[moote01]

Just posting to see what my voting status is

[Moss Trooper]

OK..I nominate Paul Blitz.. Poor ****** to be a memeber of committee.. cos he be a damb fine person.. bit deef like moi.. but damb fine

That do yer John :)

An as I'm founder memeber.. wot I says goes.. so me ole cock sparra.. yer nomionated..

God I love this time of year he hehehehehehe

OK serious head..

I do Nominate Paul as a memeber of committee.. and it is all down to continuity.. something the GAGB need.

Said me bit.. back in me hole :huh:

[John & Hazel]

Thank You.
My questions have been answered, closing thread

[Dorsetgal]

It seems I joined "in time" but am still non-voting, could this be sorted out please?

[Bill D (wwh)]

Dorsetgal wrote:
It seems I joined "in time" but am still non-voting, could this be sorted out please?
Wendy, you're now a Member with voting rights.

[Dorsetgal]

Excellent, thanks Bill :D

[lost it]

why can't I vote?

[Bill D (wwh)]

lost it wrote:
why can't I vote?
You can. You joined before the election announcement, and you're listed as a "Member" not as a "Member, non-voting". Or am I missing something?

[Muggle]

But you don't allow "ordinary" members to see the membership list. What is this, some kind of secret society?

I've never been a member of any club, society or organisation before where the members list is undisclosed.

If I choose to nomnate someone for office, how could I find a seconder if I don't even know who the other members are?

-

[Mattwaggie]

I was a member of this site before the vote was announced without any fanfare or alerts... Now why am I a non-voting member?

I should be allowed a vote, unless of course it is a biased election, and other votes may alter this.

[rutson]

test

[Bill D (wwh)]

Mattwaggie wrote:
I was a member of this site before the vote was announced without any fanfare or alerts... Now why am I a non-voting member?
You'll find the explanation earlier in this thread. You're now a "Member" with voting rights, and anyone else who should be but isn't only has to ask.

[Muggle]

You'll find the explanation earlier in this thread. You're now a "Member" with voting rights, and anyone else who should be but isn't only has to ask.
Can we also have the block on seeing the membership list and member profiles removed?

-

[lordelph]

Can I be a member too please?

Many thanks!

[Bill D (wwh)]

lordelph wrote:
Can I be a member too please?
Done.

[helen in mustardland]

How does one become a member of this, please?

[t.a.folk]

Test, Voting or Non-voting,

Now we know,

member us please!!

[Dorsetgal]

Originally posted by Muggle@Nov 17 2005, 11:48 PM
But you don't allow "ordinary" members to see the membership list. What is this, some kind of secret society?

I've never been a member of any club, society or organisation before where the members list is undisclosed.

If I choose to nomnate someone for office, how could I find a seconder if I don't even know who the other members are?

-
Hmmmmm, we could say the same of you Muggle, as your name looks a bit like an alias!

Unless of course this is you (https://www.geocaching.com/profile/?guid=82f03054-839a-4ff0-9969-edc6c11c2a77), with a grand total of four caches found in Utah?

[Mongoose39uk]

I personally know who Muggle is (not me) this is a long time Uk cacher.

Tony

[Dorsetgal]

Originally posted by Mongoose39uk@Nov 18 2005, 06:22 PM
I personally know who Muggle is (not me) this is a long time Uk cacher.

Tony
Hmmmm, you may well do Tony, however, I don't and for someone using an alias to post here to criticise that there are no open membership lists is a bit rich frankly.

[Muggle]

Originally posted by Dorsetgal@Nov 18 2005, 06:42 PM

Hmmmm, you may well do Tony, however, I don't and for someone using an alias to post here to criticise that there are no open membership lists is a bit rich frankly.
Don't talk rubbish.

Who is Dorsetgal? Is that the name on your birth certificate??? <_<
Everyone uses aliases in geocaching.

[Tigger]

Originally posted by Dorsetgal@Nov 18 2005, 06:42 PM
Hmmmm, you may well do Tony, however, I don&#39;t and for someone using an alias to post here to criticise that there are no open membership lists is a bit rich frankly.
To be fair, we are all using aliases. You don&#39;t think my real name is Tigger do you?

Just because muggle isn&#39;t using his/her caching name, it doesn&#39;t mean they have any less rights than any other member.

T

[Muggle]

Originally posted by Tigger@Nov 18 2005, 06:46 PM
Just because muggle isn&#39;t using his/her caching name, it doesn&#39;t mean they have any less rights than any other member.

T
And it isn&#39;t exactly difficult to work out who Muggle is anyway. B)

[Dorsetgal]

Originally posted by Muggle+Nov 18 2005, 06:43 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Muggle @ Nov 18 2005, 06:43 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Dorsetgal@Nov 18 2005, 06:42 PM

Hmmmm, you may well do Tony, however, I don&#39;t and for someone using an alias to post here to criticise that there are no open membership lists is a bit rich frankly.
Don&#39;t talk rubbish.

Who is Dorsetgal? Is that the name on your birth Certifiacte??? <_< [/b][/quote]
Ahem, I don&#39;t want to get into a slanging match with someone who won&#39;t identify themselves under their geocaching name, neither will I stoop to derisory one liners about their ill informed comments.

In fact, that says it all really, doesn&#39;t it?

[Muggle]

Originally posted by Dorsetgal@Nov 18 2005, 06:48 PM
Ahem, I don&#39;t want to get into a slanging match with someone who won&#39;t identify themselves under their geocaching name.
No problem then. End of discussion. ;)

[Muggle]

Perhaps if we were allowed to set up Profiles on this board as you can on every other one I&#39;ve ever seen, it would be possible to see information about members here instead of having to go back to geocaching.com to look people up over there.

What is the problem with people knowing who the members of GAGB are?

-

[paul.admin]

Originally posted by Muggle@Nov 17 2005, 11:48 PM
But you don&#39;t allow "ordinary" members to see the membership list. What is this, some kind of secret society?

I&#39;ve never been a member of any club, society or organisation before where the members list is undisclosed.

If I choose to nomnate someone for office, how could I find a seconder if I don&#39;t even know who the other members are?

-
Under the Data Protection Act, you have to be very careful WHO gets to see the "membership list". Maybe we COULD let the *members* see the list... its just not something that *I* could do in 5 minutes.

To be honest, even as a site admin, you would have to do a lot of "next page"-ing to see the entire list&#33; I just search when I really need to.


Paul

[Dorsetgal]

Well I guess the not so simple solution would be to have a Membership Secretary, set them up with a PO box and ask people to pay an annual subscription by snail mail.

That would indeed identify individuals and make is one step more difficult for the faceless ones and sock puppets to vote.

[Muggle]

Originally posted by paul.admin@Nov 18 2005, 07:10 PM
Under the Data Protection Act, you have to be very careful WHO gets to see the "membership list". Maybe we COULD let the *members* see the list... its just not something that *I* could do in 5 minutes.
But as everyone uses aliases anyway, the Data Protection Act has nothing to do with it.

A forum admin can unblock that menu with one click of the mouse. :D

-

[nobbynobbs]

if only the forums were this popular all the year. :lol:

does that mean i can be the forum police? chasing down miscreants and so on&#33;&#33;&#33; :lol:

[bexybear]

Shouldn&#39;t voting rights be available to anyone who is demonstrably a member of long-standing on the GC.com website? Shouldn&#39;t be too difficult to check that out&#33;

Especially as the elections seem to have been kept quiet...

[paul.blitz]

Originally posted by Muggle+Nov 18 2005, 07:20 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Muggle &#064; Nov 18 2005, 07:20 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-paul.admin@Nov 18 2005, 07:10 PM
Under the Data Protection Act, you have to be very careful WHO gets to see the "membership list". Maybe we COULD let the *members* see the list... its just not something that *I* could do in 5 minutes.
But as everyone uses aliases anyway, the Data Protection Act has nothing to do with it.

A forum admin can unblock that menu with one click of the mouse. :D

- [/b][/quote]
A forum admin can only do such things if they know where to look.

You will remember i sent out two emails to all the members recently: it took me something like 10 or 15 minutes to find out (again) how to do that&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;&#33;

5 minute jobs are only 5 minute jobs if you know how to do it in the first place&#33;


As far as the DPA goes: it is *very* possible to identify individuals from the membership list (eg: I wonder who "Paul.Blitz" REALLY is?), so the DPA applies 100%


Paul

[Teasel]

Originally posted by Muggle@Nov 17 2005, 11:48 PM
I&#39;ve never been a member of any club, society or organisation before where the members list is undisclosed.

Well, I&#39;ve been involved with the Scout Association, Girlguiding UK, St John Ambulance, the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation, the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, GEOCACHING.COM, amongst others, and I&#39;m not aware that any of these release their membership lists.

IANAL but I do not believe that the GAGB membership list contains Personally Identifiable Information, as defined in the DPA...

The most important reason why we cannot release the membership list is that when everyone signed up, they were told that we wouldn&#39;t&#33; So making the membership list public would break that promise.

But when we next ask members to revalidate their membership, we could make it a requirement that they agree to public disclosure of their details. Or we could make it optional for non-voting members but a requirement for voting. Or optional for everyone. Or whatever&#33; So... why are the current arrangements so bad, and how should they be improved?

[Muggle]

Originally posted by Teasel@Nov 21 2005, 09:50 AM
Well, I&#39;ve been involved with the Scout Association, Girlguiding UK, St John Ambulance, the Peak District Mountain Rescue Organisation, the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association, GEOCACHING.COM, amongst others, and I&#39;m not aware that any of these release their membership lists.

Really???

What about this then?? (https://forums.groundspeak.com/GC/index.php?act=Members)

-

[Teasel]

I stand corrected&#33; Now find me such a list for Girlguiding UK and I will be impressed&#33;

[Dorsetgal]

Actually, I think that link was just for the Grounspeak forum not the whole geocaching community on www.geocaching.com

[Bill D (wwh)]

Thanks for the link, Muggle - I didn&#39;t know that could be done&#33;

It&#39;s odd, actually. It contains many people with zero posts, so it&#39;s not just those who&#39;ve posted in the forums. On the other hand, I&#39;ve found one user who isn&#39;t on the list, even though his profile comes up when I use "Find a member" on my gc.com home page.

[MCL]

Yes indeed, all 11296 pages of them.

Do have fun reading them all won&#39;t you....

Anyway, I would support the idea of a list of the members (like that one on GC.COM) being available, but as long as it didn&#39;t release all the signup details that people gave us when they joined. THAT woudl be going a bit too far, IMHO, but a simple list of the member&#39;s account names is fine by me.

And no, not everyone operates under an alias. Paul Blitz doesn&#39;t, for one, and neither do I. MCL is the name I go by in everyday life. I am MCL to my boss, my friends, and my family. They are in fact just my initials but I have used them as my day-to-day name now for over 20 years. The nearest more-famous comparison would be DLT, who, for those who don&#39;t remember is/was a DJ on Radio 1 until 1993. No-one called him Dave Lee Travis after about 1985. He was just DLT.

I would like my bank to call me MCL but I admit I have yet to persuade them&#33;