To the average irishastronomy.org user, the issue to me is simple:
The IFAS webmaster feels an issue has arisen which, from his professional experience, he considers a threat to the future of how this website will operate. He has asked for us to vote Yes or No to a proposed form of action.

Personally, I would have to row in behind Bart on this. He's served us very well and if he feels the proposed action is worthy of the issue then I'm willing to trust him. True, I genuinely do not fully understand the issue, but I'm willing to apply a little trust. Besides, how much harm will one single day do? This site has often been down for more than one day but this level of debate never arose on any of those previous occassions.

In my professional opinion we should not strike and if people want to take action on they issue they should vote where it counts and will be effective, on June 11th. Dont you trust me?

I trust Bart, I also think hes wrong

There was plenty of debate on the site being down recently - myself and Bart were daily trading emails And in those cases we all agreed - our ISP was a muppet! That did cause hassle since I had to delay VT press releases since the site was down. Similarly at the moment I'm not planning on sending off anything until Wednesday morning, which only give me two work days to deal with enquiries (granted the response so far hasnt exactly been overwhelming!)

Anyway, I have these discussions on a daily basis at work at the moment, so I can't be bothered arguing it here any more to be honest!

Oh and if you are talking to your prospective MEP's, can you mention Light Pollution also? Thanks!

Cheers,
~Al

Bart, can you make a call on this soon, so we know what the situation is or is not going to be on Tuesday?

Cheers,
~Al

Bart, can you make a call on this soon, so we know what the situation is or is not going to be on Tuesday?

Cheers,
~Al

Just on the intersocs (society of IT college societies in Ireland) news groups now trying to get some more info on this. The response has not been what I was expecting or hoping for. Most people have no idea about it and the guys pushing so hard for it a month ago seem strangely quiet now! I'm a bit pissed off by this so it looks like we're out! Unless someone comes back to me by tomorrow morning with a big list of major sites that are partaking in the strike I won't be taking down our site or any of the other sites I run. No point in depriving people of this site if it doesn't achieve anything!

My appologies for wasting people's time and effort. However, on the plus side at least the discussions here have made some people aware that there is an issue with Software Idea patents that didn't know about it before.

Bart B.,
IFAS Webmaster.

Just on the intersocs (society of IT college societies in Ireland) news groups

*shudder* the memories... mostly painful ones.

anyway, let us know if the situation changes (with the strike not intersocs!)

~Al (intersocs veteran 1995 - 2000)