Greg Maxwell writes:
In the message I responded to you stated that the
collection of
emergency contact information would present considerable privacy
concerns. Here you seem to be suggesting that the foundation would
instead prefer to pass off the collection to a volunteer driven
project. This seems like a completely inconsistent position, but
perhaps I just do not understand.
I guess I'm both callous and inconsistent. Next thing you know I'll be
downright evil. (That's where you going, isn't it? Just admit it.)
It should be noted that the concerns that have been raised to me, both
publicly and privately, are themselves inconsistent. Some people are
concerned about their privacy. Some are concerned about security. Some
are concerned about both privacy and security. Some are concerned
about neither. Some are concerned about wholly separate matters. Some
feel that they can't post publicly to this list without themselves
being criticized.
So don't be surprised if you hear from me representations of
inconsistent concerns. This is not exactly a consistent crowd. (News
flash!)
I'm at a bit of a loss as to what means could
possibly be more
efficient and effective than simply adding a single additional field
to the official Wikimania registration form. Could you please
elaborate?
I can elaborate by saying that I think you have spent more time
responding to me than it might have taken you to come up with a
solution that addresses the concerns you state here. This strikes me
as callous.
Is there a registration form somewhere that the Foundation has access
to, Greg, that you don't? I don't know of one. Have you considered
making your concerns known to those who are actually organizing the
conference, such as Delphine and the local team? (The Foundation is
only paying for it.)
Some of the earliest concerns about safety were raised
after the
safety advice provided by the local team were found to be in direct
contradiction with advice provided by professional travel agents (in,
particular with respect to advisable dress for women).
I don't know what you are attempting to refer to here. (The issue of
"advisable dress for women" is also addressed in the INTERNATIONAL
STUDENTS GUIDE -- see below.)
It was the
belief of some, myself included, that although the local team has the
greatest access to information they may, understandably, not be the
most objective parties available to assess the risks and mitigations
specific to their region and its local cultures.
I love the passive voice.
I have twice forwarded to the list a link to resources for foreign
students attending the American University in Cairo. It addresses
many and perhaps most of the concerns raised by those who worry about
the local team's advice. Did you bother to read it? It's still here:
<http://www.aucegypt.edu/StudentLife/StudentServices/isso/Pages/InternationalStudentHandbook.aspx
With that in mind I hope you can understand why some
people are
dissatisfied that the foundation's response to concerns about safety
is to restate that those issues have been delegated to the local team.
That is not at all what I said. If you are going to attempt to
paraphrase me, please don't just make stuff up. I neither stated nor
restated that safety issues "have been delegated to the local team."
Given the large volume of mail that has already been
exchanged on this
subject I do not expect that a uniformly agreeable fully solution will
be found.
Thank you for your efforts in forging agreement. I feel much more
agreeable now.
I look forward to further interrogation. Uh, I mean, constructive
suggestions.
--Mike