Re: [ericas] Starting the discussion

[SM <[e-mail]>]

Hi Melinda,
At 12:15 28-04-2013, Melinda Shore wrote:
>Do you feel that ISOC has a role to play in this?

There was a meeting between some IETF people and the German Federal 
government ( http://www.isoc.de/wer-macht-das-internet/ ).  My guess 
is that approach is more effective.  It's not easy to identify the 
"right" people to talk to in emerging regions.  Someone also has to 
identify what the people want.  It is a huge challenge.

>I should add that I'm not thrilled with the emphasis on meeting
>attendance as a marker of participation or non-participation.  We
>may not be doing a very good job of communicating how to participate
>in the IETF process without traveling to meetings.

I am not thrilled either.  I was chatting with a PhD student from 
Greece who was following an IETF plenary remotely even though it was 
very late for him.  He has never attended an IETF meeting.  He was 
participating in an IETF WG.  He also writes code.  That is the side 
of the IETF which might go unseen.

I agree that we do not a good job of communicating how to 
participate.  I don't know how to solve that. :-(  There are language 
and cultural barriers for people from emerging regions.  I guess it 
is like entering a strange place and trying to find your way.  You 
are without any friends and you don't know who will help you.

Regards,
S. Moonesamy