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 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. _____ From: OSLIST [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tree Fitzpatrick Sent: Wednesday, November 18, 2009 3:15 AM To: [email protected] 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 <[email protected]> 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. 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