Re: [cobalt-users] When is the list getting a new listmaster ?

[Bruce Timberlake <bruce@xxxxxxxxxx>]

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> Do cobalt plan to assign the task to one of its diminished work
> force, or are they perhaps hoping that the list will fall into
> decay, and expect us to use the Sun forum.

I don't think that they _hope_ it will fall into decay.  They just 
don't care one way or another, as these lists are one of the last 
clinging remnants of the "old" Cobalt Networks that has survived 
through all the changes, and are not supported or really authorized 
in any way by Sun.

The current admin maintains the list server pretty much on his own, 
with no official directions or mandates to do so.  He's got another 
unrelated job, so doesn't read the posts on the lists.  He just keeps 
the box itself humming along for the most apart (aside from the 
spurious sendmail crashes)...

> In the event that no one is assigned, do we continue leaderless ?
> My own thoughts are that the list needs a list master.

Well, it's been leaderless for a few weeks now, and not much has 
changed... a few flamefests about the usual topics, but nothing 
'unusual'...  I suppose it could continue as is.

Another option would be to "jump ship" en masse to another agreed-upon 
list/forum/whatever.  Seems to be at least a few of us on the 
WebHostingTalk.com forums...

> I also wonder if anyone on the list has a close relationship with
> Cobalt, who could use thier influence to get them to nominate a
> replacement for Bruce.

To be honest, there isn't really anyone left to do the job, unless you 
can convince one of the actual development engineers to do it (  and 
I'll bet that would be pretty difficult to do...). There are no 
field-facing people (e.g., SEs) from the Cobalt group left, and no 
"Sun" people with enough knowledge to do it properly... especially as 
there is an "official" source of info now on the forums...

I'll send an email to a few people I know, but I'm not too hopeful... 
the server could be shut down at any time, so another venue might be 
the best/safest way to go...

I'll also talk to Craig and see if I can get a dump of the archives 
for all the lists, and maybe at least put it into a searchable form 
on cobaltfaqs.com or something, so we wouldn't lose that body of 
knowledge if the list server did go away.

> In mentioning Bruce, I sincerely hope that he has by now found a
> new position.

Thanks for the thought, but nothing has panned out yet.  Fortunately, 
Sun was able to be fairly generous with severance packages, so I'm ok 
into the beginning of the new year...  8^)

- -- 
Bruce Timberlake

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