Come join us at Open Space Technology World Community Ning site!!

Wed Nov 18 11:50:05 PST 2009

Hi Tree,

My comments are not intended to be "deceptive" or "disingenuous."  Based on
my understanding of the situation, Michael owns a website, which he built
and has maintained with willing contributions from others in this community.
His website has served this community in creating an online place to share
content and resources, but the website itself is his to manage as he sees
fit.  It is true that he has created a successful brand that search engines
readily find and web traffic is directed to his site.  I can see how the
website could be improved to enhance the look and feel and aesthetic
experience, and how this could benefit all OS practitioners since so many
people seeking information about OS online will find themselves at this
website.  However, whether people like it or not, the site rightfully
belongs to Michael, and though one may respectfully make suggestions and
propose changes one might like to see on his website, it is his right to
decide the best use of his resources.  

Criticizing his efforts that have served this community so well for so long
and acting as if one is entitled to make changes on a website that one
doesn't own seems like an odd and counterproductive approach.  Personally
attacking Michael, or anyone for that matter, to lend credence to one's
perspective, just seems mean-spirited.  If you have personal issues with
Michael, speak directly with Michael.  As far as the issue of where search
engines direct traffic, as far as I know, Michael doesn't have total control
over how his site is ranked, but the fact that his site is ranked so high
seems well-deserved to me given all the work he has done over the years to
build the brand.  Suggesting that we're somehow entitled to his website or
entitled to change his website because his website is number one in the
rankings just doesn't make sense to me, so if he is standing in the way of
some people taking over his website, well, that seems perfectly appropriate
from my perspective.  I would stand in the way of anyone taking over my
website too.  That said, as far as I know, Michael is and has been open to
making changes on his website for the benefit of this community.  

If one wants more changes than he is willing to make on his site, and one
wants to create a collaborative community website owned by and for this
community, I imagine that this can be done.  I imagine that it may be
initially more challenging to get the website traffic and rankings one
desires, but if any community could figure this out, I trust that this
community would do so.  Meanwhile, I'm still thankful that this community
has been and is served by Michael's website-and Lisa's website-and many
other websites individually owned by members of this community.  

Sincerely,

Karen

 <http://www.luminacoaching.com/> 

 <http://www.luminacoaching.com/> 

 lumina fr. L. light, air, opening... 

Karen Sella 

Coaching:   <http://www.luminacoaching.com> www.luminacoaching.com

Consulting:   <http://www.integralventures.com> www.integralventures.com

Phone: 1.206.780.2998

Skype: karensella

The information contained in this message may be privileged, confidential
and protected from disclosure.  If you are not the intended recipient, any
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  _____  

From: OSLIST [mailto:OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU] On Behalf Of Tree
Fitzpatrick
Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 3:15 AM
To: OSLIST at LISTSERV.BOISESTATE.EDU
Subject: Re: [OSLIST] Come join us at Open Space Technology World Community
Ning site!!

Karen . . .your comments are distractingly sweet and lovely .. . but with
your comments do not address Kaliya's very imporant point that when people
do any internet search looking for open space technology, they are directed
to Michael's website . . . but the OS community does not own the site,
Michael does. Your sweetly deceptive comments that someone, or a bunch of
someones, can get together and build something else are disingenuous and you
fail to address Kaliya's point.  

We can't build something else:  Michael owns the website that is standing in
the way of the OS community from having a collaboratively created,
recognized and used website.  I bet it is good for his business but it is a
major block to the evolution of a professional internet presence for OST.

Michael dominates the spot all search engines send people when they google
'open space technology' . . we all own that langauge but michael controls
the worldwide intersection.

It isn't right, that he controls it . . . not for open space.  Out of all
the things that should be open, surely open space ought to be open on the
internet?

Lisa's effort is an attempt to get around the stumbling block that is
Michael and MIchael is resisting it, probably because his ego is strongly
attached to it. If he were as open as he claims, he would step aside, open
his website up to this whole community and trust the community. I don't see
him offering to step aside.

Of course he can have his own website . . but the search engines send
everyone to his site.  He should step aside.  As Kaliya says, we all ought
to own the spot where Google sends people when they search for OST:  it
would be a great thing for OST. It's about opening more space but Michael
and his acolytes on this list are being obtuse when they spout his empty
rhetoric.

On Tue, Nov 17, 2009 at 11:20 AM, Karen Sella <karen at luminacoaching.com>
wrote:

If someone builds a space-"building"-and invites everyone in a community to
come whenever they like, but doesn't give everyone the keys or the ability
to renovate the place, I consider that place a gift, not an obstacle.  If I
don't like the building or the fact that I can't do whatever I like in it or
the fact that it gets a lot of (well-deserved) attention, I can create
another building or invite people in the community to join me in the effort
to create something else-and all without calling the creator of the original
building a "dictator."  It may not meet everyone's needs, but I kind of like
the old place and I'm truly grateful to the person, Michael, who created it,
as well as all the others who have contributed to it throughout the years.
If someone or a bunch of some ones get together, and builds another place to
open some space, extending the invitation to hang out there too, I imagine
that I would appreciate aspects, if not everything, about the character of
that building too. 

Karen

 <http://www.luminacoaching.com/> 

 <http://www.luminacoaching.com/> 

 lumina fr. L. light, air, opening... 

Karen Sella 

Coaching:   <http://www.luminacoaching.com> www.luminacoaching.com

Consulting:   <http://www.integralventures.com> www.integralventures.com

Phone: 1.206.780.2998

Skype: karensella

The information contained in this message may be privileged, confidential
and protected from disclosure.  If you are not the intended recipient, any
dissemination, distribution or copying is strictly prohibited.  If you think
that you have received this message in error, please notify the sender by
reply and delete the message and any attachments.

*
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