VOICE - General Meeting for 2003-05-05

VOICE - General Meeting for 2003-05-05
<WalterOS2> This Business meeting of VOICE is now in session. <WalterOS2> Project's probably recuperating from his wilderness trip. He may come later. <WalterOS2> So we'll skip the Treasurer's Report until later, at least. <WalterOS2> Before I go on, I'd like to make a request. <WalterOS2> We have a reasonably full agenda, so I'd greatly appreciate it if everyone would try to reserve their discussion until the designated times. <WalterOS2> Also, I'd REALLY appreciate it if everyone would keep non-agenda-related discussion to a minimum. <WalterOS2> When there is a lot of irrelevant discussion going, it makes it really hard on me, and it makes it really hard to get the buiness done by the end of the meeting. <WalterOS2> We've covered Items 1-2, and postponed 3. <WalterOS2> So, now it's time to look at Item 4. <WalterOS2> Nomination the New VP. <WalterOS2> Sector, did you get any additional nominees for VP in the email? <Sector> No <WalterOS2> So we have only the one nominee. <WalterOS2> Namely, Roderick aka eCSNL. <WalterOS2> Roderick Klein <WalterOS2> I forgot his last name for a moment. :-) <WalterOS2> OK, let's move on to Item 5: Election/Acclamation of the VP <WalterOS2> When there's only one nominee, it's not our practice to hold an election, but to declare that the nominee has won by acclamation. <Sector> No, we still need to hold an election, votes can be placed either for or against <WalterOS2> However, at least one person has indicated he would like to see an election to see if there are any objections. <Rat-Salad> but, we didn't hold a election for the other possisions <Rat-Salad> we didn't re-elect Walter <WalterOS2> Right. <Sector> We did when Walter was reelected <WalterOS2> What do the by-laws say? <Sector> They don't cover only one canidate for the position <WalterOS2> In that case the chair makes a ruling, and standard parliamentary procedure is that the candidate gets the position by acclamation. <WalterOS2> However, let me ask if there are any objections to having Roderick as VP. <WalterOS2> Speak now about Roderick, or forever.... <Rat-Salad> feels good to me <WalterOS2> Since there are no objections, the chair declares that Roderick has become our new VP by acclamation. <WalterOS2> Is there any questions or discussion about this issue? <Rat-Salad> I will update the site to reflect the dission <WalterOS2> RS: Thanks. <WalterOS2> OK, moving right long. <WalterOS2> Item 6: Electronic payment of VOICE membership fees. <Bandyo> Is it up and running? <WalterOS2> First let me say that Roderick has been working very long hours because of eCS 1.1, and it's currently 2:40a in Holland where he lives, so I told him to stay home and get some rest. He's even getting worried about his health. <WalterOS2> :-( <WalterOS2> However, I spoke by phone with him to day, an the Electronic payment of VOICE membership fees is basically operational. <WalterOS2> Go to http://shop.mensys.nl/uk/voice/ <WalterOS2> And you'll see the page he's set up for us. <WalterOS2> Any comments? <WalterOS2> You can talk now. :-) <Rat-Salad> looks good <Bandyo> Looks good! I am trying it out now... The "CHECK OUT using secure server did not work but the non-secure one did... <Bandyo> Since I am in the US, will I get stuck with the VAT too? <Warpified> I never had VAT applied to any order I made overseas <hoss> most likely not. i didn't when i purchased ecs 1.1 <KenKrchnr> Nope. Only EU purchasers. <Bandyo> Thanks <WalterOS2> We're looking at the new electronic option for VOICE membership dues. <Bandyo> I tried "CHECK OUT using secure server" again, this time the page showed up... As a new customer I will need to enter a lot of data... <Bandyo> but it seems to be working... <WalterOS2> A couple of other things I should mention, regarding this Mensys page. <WalterOS2> First, Roderick still needs to write a short script to automatically send an electronic copy of each invoice to Peter as well as to the VOICE member. Right now, I think all you get is the cc transaction. <WalterOS2> Second, there are no, REPEAT NO, credit card charges for the member when using this! <Rat-Salad> you mean... international charges? <Bandyo> No charges!?! I thought it said $25... <WalterOS2> I'm not sure how to explain it. <WalterOS2> Mark, what does IB charge for processing our membership transactions? <KenKrchnr> The $25 is the invoice cost, CC surcharge would not be added (usually 3%) <Rat-Salad> ohh.. you mean charges to VOICE <Rat-Salad> I think I understand now <MADecsSMP> IB? <WalterOS2> Bandyo: The $25 are the membership fees; cc fees are usually over and above that. <MADecsSMP> I have no idea what costs are. Peter handles that. <WalterOS2> Sorry--Freudian Slip. :-( <KenKrchnr> And technically it is illegal in the US to charge extra for using a CC. So instead we use a "cash discount". <Bandyo> I see thanks Rat-Salad and WalterOS2 <Rat-Salad> when your company or oganization accepts credit cards.. there's typically a fee to that company per transaction.. Walter means this isn't costing VOICE anything <WalterOS2> Mark: I meant BMT Micro obviously. :-) <WalterOS2> Thanks, Rat. <Bandyo> If it saves VOICE money I will put my $25 into the floppy drive :) j/k <WalterOS2> And of course no VAT for US or Cdn members. That applies only to European Union countries. <MADecsSMP> Usually with Credit Card processing there is a monthly charge, a per transaction charge and a percentage fee. That's wth a bank anyway. i have no idea how BMT structures it. <WalterOS2> Thanks, Mark. <WalterOS2> We're not doing too badly, even without Peter. :-) <WalterOS2> Hopefully he drop by later. <MADecsSMP> Any word from Roderick? Will he be here tonight? <Rat-Salad> I imagine Rodrick is sleeping :) <WalterOS2> If anyone sees any problems, they should contact Roderick at rwklein@mensys.nl. For those who just dropped by, Roderick is our new Vice President. <WalterOS2> Mark: He telephoned, and asked me why specifically he needed to be at the meeting, and he passed along the information, and I told him to take the night off. <WalterOS2> He's been working a lot of extremely late nights because of eCS 1.1,and he actually get a little concerned about his health. <Jer0> its nice to see so many here tonight <WalterOS2> Yes :-) <Rat-Salad> we should probably move on to the next item :) <WalterOS2> OK, if there's no further discussion about the new web page? <Rat-Salad> (just a suggestion) <WalterOS2> Sure. <WalterOS2> OK, let's go Item 7: Discussion of a new time and date for VOICE meetings. <WalterOS2> (I dread this topic.) <WalterOS2> Let me introduce the discussion. <WalterOS2> It's virtually impossible for Roderick our new VP or for most other Europeans to come regularly when the meeting is held on the current day/time. <WalterOS2> In Holland, right now it is 3:15 am, Tuesday morning. You can see the problem. <WalterOS2> Roderick has already done a lot for this organization, so I think he's worth making some concessions for. <Rat-Salad> it would be nice to have it earlier, yet after rush hour in atleast the EDT time zone :) <PerJ> "3:00p 19:00 GMT Saturday" sounds great (yawn) <Rat-Salad> or...... Saturday works.. hehe <WalterOS2> Someone from Europe emmailed me with that same suggestion. Was it you? <WalterOS2> :-) <WalterOS2> We have 3 votes for that time slot (4 if you count mine.) <Rat-Salad> I'm flexable... thats actually better for me now that I think about it <WalterOS2> And we haven't even called for a vote, yet. :-) <WalterOS2> It works out really well for me as well. <PerJ> Walter: No, I haven't emailed. <hoss> there was some talk a while back about having one on saturday and one on monday.. ... at seperate times during the month.. I guess 2 mtgs a month is too much... <PerJ> I'm in UTC +2 DST FYI <WalterOS2> I know Peter can't make it during the spring and summer due to his camping avocation, but he's not here now, and this is Monday. <WalterOS2> We just can't please everyone. <WalterOS2> I can't do it on Sunday aft. due to Warpdoctor. :-( <WalterOS2> Saturday afternoon (3:00 pm) seems to have the fewest conflicts (and the most votes so far) <WalterOS2> I wonder where Vaughn has been these days. <Rat-Salad> thats funny, because he was here right before 8 <JWE0> Ok I vote yes. Sorry, electical storm problems with power outage. <WalterOS2> Power outage? We haven't even had a flicker here---yet. <wdl> I vote Yes - Saturday afternoon. * WalterOS2 and John live about 20 miles apart and the same weather patterns tend to go from one of us to the other. <WalterOS2> I guess this is what you call a straw vote. <WalterOS2> OK, let's make it an official vote. <WalterOS2> Does someone want to move that we change the time and date of the VOICE meeting to Saturday 3:00pm EDT (19:00 GMT)? <WarpedeCS> Walter I just got in <WalterOS2> Hi Vaughn we missed you. :-) <WarpedeCS> My two boys have soccer practise <WarpedeCS> had * Jer0 seconds that we all missed Vaughn <WalterOS2> :-) <Rat-Salad> I move that we change the general meetings to Saturday 3:00pm EDT (19:00 GMT) <hoss> i second that <WalterOS2> Thank you Rat <WarpedeCS> ok...I might be able to swing that <Thom> I'll vote for it. [netsplit] <WarpedeCS> oh no <WarpedeCS> this is not good <Jer0> hmmmmm <KenKrchnr> Looks like a netsplit :) <WarpedeCS> looks like sectors server went off <KenKrchnr> I'm on Sectors server, can you see me? <WarpedeCS> yes <WarpedeCS> oh then it was RatSalads server * Jer0 wounders if another round of tornados is in route <KenKrchnr> Does look like RS is gone. <WalterOS2> I guess he didn't like the new time. :-) <WarpedeCS> hey were one big happy family again <Rat-Salad> I got em back :) <Jer0> welcome back everyone :) <KenKrchnr> We wuz feelin' all lost an orphany. <WarpedeCS> Ok...did we vote for anything yet? <WalterOS2> OK, we were voting on the motion that we move the VOICE general meetings to Saturday 3:00 EDT (19:00 GMT) <WarpedeCS> all in favour <hoss> Aye. <WarpedeCS> Aye <Thom> Aye <JWE0> Yes <WalterOS2> And so far we had three Aye votes <WarpedeCS> any against? <WalterOS2> We also had a write-in. Does that count? :-) <Jer0> Aye <WalterOS2> Vaughn: Who made you the chairman? <WalterOS2> :-) <Jer0> ;) <ten> Aye <WalterOS2> All opposed, please type Nay. <WalterOS2> The motion is carried. <WalterOS2> Should we have the next meeting on the 17th or the 24th? <WalterOS2> Probably the 24th, unless a lot of business crops up in the meantime. <WalterOS2> ? <Jer0> the 24th. is Armed Services day <Jer0> I mean Armed Forces day <WalterOS2> Is that a problem? <Rat-Salad> hehe did we not have a meeting on Easter? :) <WalterOS2> I'm a Canuck. <Jer0> oh..ya right <WalterOS2> We're going to hit holidays eventually anyway. <Jer0> never heard a Canadian refer to themselves as a "Canuck" before <WarpedeCS> long weekend is comeing too <WalterOS2> Let's have the next meeting on the 17th, then. <Jer0> I just say Canadian :) <WalterOS2> Me too, usually. <WarpedeCS> 19th is Victoria day...so the saturday I won't be there <WalterOS2> What else is new? :-) <WarpedeCS> thanx Walter... <Rat-Salad> I think I have some work to do <Rat-Salad> gotta change the calendars <WalterOS2> Saturday, May 17 3:00 pm EDT (19:00 GMT) <butch_> Hello, looks like a good turnout <Rat-Salad> heh <WarpedeCS> maybe it should be the 31st <WalterOS2> Now, on to our final item: Status of new mirror and VOICE server. <WarpedeCS> or I mean the 24th <WalterOS2> OK, who wants the meeting on the 17th? <WalterOS2> If so, type Aye <Rat-Salad> aye <WarpedeCS> If not the 17th then what about the 24th? <WalterOS2> Who would rather have it on the 24th? Please type Aye. <WarpedeCS> aye <Jer0> aye <wdl> Aye - 17th. <WalterOS2> We have a split "vote" <Jer0> aye-17 <hoss> six to one 1/2 doz the other. ;-) <WalterOS2> wdl, Jer0: Are you changing your vote, or what? <Rat-Salad> hehe oops... Jer's was for the 17th <WalterOS2> Hoss: me too <wdl> Mine (wdl) is for the 17th! <Jer0> I meant mine for the 17th <WalterOS2> OK, the people have spoken: 17th it is. <hoss> make this complicated: aye forthe 1th nay for the 24 <<<---suggestion. <Jer0> holidays are usually less busy here :) <hoss> 1th=17th. ;-) <Rat-Salad> hehe I think we are done... good suggestion though... lets keep it in mind for next time :) <hoss> oh well the 17th looks to be a winnah. <WarpedeCS> Oh well ..... <WalterOS2> Let's move on to Item 8: Status of new Mirror and VOICE server. * Jer0 is interested in the status of the Mirror and VOICE server.....listening intently <WalterOS2> Last night at the directors meeting, we decided to build a new (faster, even) VOICE server at Ken Kirchner's Somerville PA facility where he has a T1 connection. We are going to leave our current server where it is at ThinkExtreme, and make it a backup or mirror. <KenKrchnr> PA = NJ <WalterOS2> Ken is going to get a new workstation out of the deal. :-) <WalterOS2> Ken: Sorry about that. <WalterOS2> Ken has two plants and I find it hard to keep them straight. <Jer0> tell us a little bit about the new server <WalterOS2> First, one more thing. <WalterOS2> Currently, our server (VOICE1) is at TE which is owned by a person/company who is neither OS/2 knowledgeable or a member of VOICE. <WalterOS2> We may move it physically to Vaughn's location at sometime in the future. <WalterOS2> Jer0: OK, I'll Ken answer your question. <WalterOS2> I'll let Ken answer... <KenKrchnr> The server will be 750 Mhz Athlon, 256MB mem, 16G scsi, 40G IDE, cdrom etc. <KenKrchnr> I get a new 2100 Athlon ;) <Jer0> so is the SCSI a RAID containing WSeB <KenKrchnr> It is raid 5, I use WSA. <WalterOS2> WSA? <Jer0> kewl...WSA? <KenKrchnr> Warp Server Advanced, but on Warp 4.52 base. <hoss> does this include discussion of dns? <Jer0> ah...is the hardware setup for SMP? <KenKrchnr> This hardware isn't. Our other servers are. <WalterOS2> Jer0: Hoss asked a question I want to answer. <KenKrchnr> DNS is still up in the air. <Jer0> I c <WalterOS2> Hoss: We all want to move the DNS from TE to somewhere else, probably dyndns.org. <Jer0> what about running a DNS on the VOICE server...seems like it will have the power to <WalterOS2> However when it came up for discussion last night, it was blocked because noone seconded the motion. <KenKrchnr> You really need to have 2 DNS's. <Rat-Salad> Jer0: the idea is having the DNS off-site... in preparition for anything that could happen in the future <Jer0> then use dyndns.org for backup...or isn't that possible <Rat-Salad> the dyndns.org custom service would provide us with five servers <KenKrchnr> Still have to set up an account with them. <WalterOS2> That's what we couldn't get done last night. <WalterOS2> Ladies (?) and Gentleman, that's all I have on the agenda. <KenKrchnr> RS and I had talked with Sector (last week?). He'd go along with DynDNS, but he won't be the one to advocate it. So you need 2 on the board to bring it up. <Rat-Salad> if the VOICE server moved or was down... all we would have to do is change an A record (host entry).. rather than going through the registrar to change the dns on record for the domains <WalterOS2> Is there any other business, or should we adjourn the meeting, and leave the clubhouse open for random discussion? <Jer0> clubhouse :) :) <WalterOS2> Then we need a motion to adjourn. <WarpedeCS> motion to adjourn * Jer0 motions that we adjourn <WalterOS2> All in favour of adjourning, please type Aye. <Rat-Salad> ok... we can have the DNS discussion the 17th? <WarpedeCS> AYE <Rat-Salad> aye <WalterOS2> Aye <Thom> aye <wdl> Aye <ten> Aye <Jer0> Warp Server Advanced....boy thats a nice piece of software <KenKrchnr> But older than WSeB <Jer0> sometimes older is better :) <WalterOS2> Motion is carried. Meeting is adjourned. <Jer0> newer isn't allways the best...especially if you follow the M$ triology <WalterOS2> Thank you all for coming. It was a really good meeting.