[pp.int.general] PPI GA Prague / Video Conference System for remote delegates

[Gregory Engels]

Hello Andrew, 

thank you for the constructive tone of your email, it is much more
easier to write up an constructive answer, keep it up! :-)

On 29.12.2011, at 21:18, Andrew Norton wrote:

>> 
>> So, we could never make it "perfect" for remote delegates, but we could
>> try to eliminate the worst  issues the skype-group chat participants had
>> last time:  (and most of this issues are entirely not technical, but
>> procedural)
>> * it was difficult (and in some cases even impossible) for a delegate to
>> get "on the floor" in a conference discussion. 
>> ** this was, because the laptop that had the skype conversation running
>> was badly monitored and to put the skype video-call (of which none was
>> even attempted, as far as I recall) on the main PA and video screen
>> ** also, if there was an audio call from a remote participant, that
>> would get noticed and actually put on the PA and the main screen - the
>> audio was really bad - because the remote participant had not switched
>> off their audio of the live-stream, that resulted in feedback-loops and
>> heavily  echos.
>> * the remote delegates had a chat among themselves, that was completely
>> unnoticed,  and therefore ignored, by the "inhouse" delegates. 
> 
> I'm not sure what's worse about this. The fact it's written as though it
> was a minor problem.

I don't see, where I was implying it is "minor problem" - I said, this would be
the "worst" problems with remote participation we had last time. I probably
missed something, that might even be bigger, in that case, please add 
your point of view - but you wrote it up pretty extensive right after the
conference... 

> Or the fact that you are presenting it as a problem
> from this event.

I am sorry again, i said - "we could try to eliminate the issues, remote
delegates had _last_ time".

> In actual fact, ALL these issues were true of the
> PREVIOUS event, in Brussels, as well.

No, from my point of view, it was much worse in Brussels (the conference
that Samir was in charge for preparing, not me, by the way) - there was 
no remote call-in possibility whatsoever. the chat was only on irc, and 
the remote voting was a completely mess (like a country that had voted
twice - one time with their remote delegate and one time in person). There
was a stream, but thats about it.  In Friedrichshafen we had a dedicated
Skype chat, where only "certified" delegates had been, and also the
possibility for video calls - something that has not worked out entirely, 
but - we had done a small step improving, compared to Brussels. 

> And I know I for one
> *specifically* asked you Gregory, as CHAIRMAN OF PPI at the time, to
> ensure this wasn't an issue again.

Yes, and this was taken care of, but not to everyone satisfaction, and this is
something, that I am very sad of. In retrospective, and this is something, 
that can be learned from Friedrichshafen, it would be better to have the
remote delegates to be anchored in much detail in the conferences rules
of procedure, and to have a dedicated meeting chairman to take care of
the remote delegates.  

> I believe it was Jerry, your
> co-chairman, who was supposed to be 'representing' us physically, and
> failed.

It was not that simple, that "Jerry has failed". I saw him engaged with the
skype chat for quite a time, but he was not able to bring the remote participants
on the floor in time. This was especially noticeable (from my point of view)
during the board election session. One reason for this is, that the meeting
chairmen - Bastian and his assistant were totally unprepared to handle 
remote delegates, and the rules of procedure was not complete and not
followed in detail. 

I would suggest, that you, who has experiences as remote delegate from 
the last two conferences, could work with the organizers of the next 
conference and also suggest some rules of procedure for handling the
issues...

sincerely, 

Gregory Engels
International Coordinator
Pirate Party of Germany

mobile: +49 172 853 44 91
skype:gregory.engels
jabber:dichter at jabber.piratenpartei.de
my free time: https://tungle.me/dichter

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