The IrelandOffline Blackout (RFC)

o_donnel_abu

Originally posted by dahamsta
We need to get a position from the committee here. This is why I was putting it together originally, for peer review and for the review of the committee. I realise the committee is busy with other things, but would it be possible to have a wee discussion and post an interim decision?

adam

Adam

Sorry that committee response has been 'patchy' - this is not due to lack of support for this idea.

I have emailed you directly about this with few comments/ideas of my own and I hope we can have 'official' committee statement inside next couple of days.

Martin Harran
Chairman Ireland Offline

PhilipMarlowe

Good Idea in general and I'll do whatever I can to support the blackout in my place...

Re: the holding page...

Would it be possible to have a statement, like a pre-written letter, so that people who visit sites that are downed could click to send a message of their support/complaint to eircom? Also, this email would be cc'ed to another account as a means of measuring the effectiveness?
I know that measuring it might only be interesting rather than useful but it might be worth it?

I'd leave it up to a professional to figure it out but I presume that you could create a link that would work on everybodys page that would call some script or other on one site to send the email off......

disConnected

Well, I am definitely in for it...

I'll make my way down to Dublin for the marching as well. But I would leave the demo immediately if some fool would decide to take the march as an excuse for violence or rude behaviour.
The only way we will achieve our goals is by using clean, nonviolent actions only.

Boston

Originally posted by disConnected
But I would leave the demo immediately if some fool would decide to take the march as an excuse for violence or rude behaviour.
The only way we will achieve our goals is by using clean, nonviolent actions only.

Damn, better leave the petrol bombs at home then. Seriously what's with the preoccupation with violence, agreed that if people were as vocal in real life about eircom as they are here, it might be something to be worried about, but I doubt any violence will happen, and if it does the person responsible will get a good kicking

sceptre

Originally posted by disConnected
Well, I am definitely in for it...

I'll make my way down to Dublin for the marching as well. But I would leave the demo immediately if some fool would decide to take the march as an excuse for violence or rude behaviour.
The only way we will achieve our goals is by using clean, nonviolent actions only.

Agreed. If we're going to continue to be taken seriously, no eggs etc.

dahamsta

Would it be possible to have a statement, like a pre-written letter, so that people who visit sites that are downed could click to send a message of their support/complaint to eircom?

Absolutely, although I would be inclined to put it on the support site rather than the splash page. I don't know what we'll end up with, but personally speaking I would be inclined to keep the splash page basic and minimal, and that goes for the content too, otherwise we'll end up with all sorts of crap on there. Which is not to say that your idea is crap, because it isn't, it's feasible and workable, and if the committee gave it the ok, we'd do it. But it should also be stated that if I have a part in this, I'll be working closely with the committee to make sure everything is decent and above board. We want to do this right, we don't want any hassle or litigation. Eircom can play dirty all they want, but we won't sink to their level.

Seriously what's with the preoccupation with violence, agreed that if people were as vocal in real life about eircom as they are here, it might be something to be worried about, but I doubt any violence will happen, and if it does the person responsible will get a good kicking

Because that's *exactly* the kind of talk and behaviour we simply /don't want/. Eircom have already tried to back down from one event citing the mutterings of morons on these very boards as the reason for their non-participation. If we start talking about violent actions like you mentioned above, even if only in jest, Eircom will try and make us out like a bunch of militant loonies and you'd better believe the media will swallow it. So please, tone it down.

adam

acous

If this blackout is symbolic, wouldnt it be more effective to hold it for just 1 day?

I would be much more inclined to join in if it was on Friday instead of the whole weekend.

also, to the idea of only boycotting eircom... it would be easier to get the support of organisations affiliated with eircom if it was a generic telecommunications blackout.

dahamsta

If this blackout is symbolic, wouldnt it be more effective to hold it for just 1 day? I would be much more inclined to join in if it was on Friday instead of the whole weekend.

It's not for the whole weekend, that's optional. In fact, everthing is optional at the moment, nothing is set in stone. As I've already suggested, I would favour Friday as the primary day for the protest, with people joining in at the weekend where possible. I would also suggest that sites that are removed on Friday could be left down for the weekend, as long as it's not too detrimental to the organisation involved. I'll be leaving my sites down until Monday midnight.

also, to the idea of only boycotting eircom... it would be easier to get the support of organisations affiliated with eircom if it was a generic telecommunications blackout.

It is a generic telecommunications blackout.

[I knew we should have merged these threads!]

adam

pete

Originally posted by dahamsta
how about a five a side football tournament for members on the saturday or sunday in a park somewhere in Dublin. Except you invite (in the press release) Eircom, Esat and the ODTR to field teams?

That'd be comical, but I think the rally would draw more media attention, especially if we get a good crowd

And there's my two worries - I'd just be afraid that

a. the march would be poorly attended, and covered by the media, making IOFFL look like they've (we've) no support

b. the march would be well attended, and covered by the media in a "look at these nerds protesting over internet access - sure have they nothing more important to be worrying about??"

that's all.

I seriously think that a more informal get together might be a better option - and if some sort of spin or angle can be found that acts as a hook for the media, then all the better.

pete

sceptre

I think that, given the great work done so far by Elana, the media wouldn't be able to spin it in a "bloody nerds" way. Pointless just getting together informally without any purpose. This isn't a case of "we must do something, this is something, let's do this" (Eircom's marketing philosophy, perhaps I should add it to that list). This is something with a purpose.

If we decide to put the march off until some other time, fair enough, but I do see a purpose in it. Most of our PR so far has been via the Net and telling friends. Plus the mentions in the papers and on radio. This is a step forward in marketing IrelandOffline in another way. Even if the media don't cover it at all and we only get 50 or 100 people out (hey, it's a Saturday we're looking at - we got that many people to a mid-week afternoon seminar) at least people on the street will see a large banner saying "www.Irelandoffline.com" and the "affordable..." There are people out there with ideas (and friends) that haven't heard of us yet. Lots of them. We can hand out flyers explaining what we're doing at a march. People aren't going to see us as plonkers with too much time on their hands then.


Slightly aside - anyone know how much those stickers that radio stations give to people to put in the back windshield of their cars cost? Small enough to go on the inside of a business' window as well.

pete

"the meeja" can put whatever spin they want on it - whatever they think will get them the best story and help sell more papers - all they have to do is ignore the facts.

stranger things have happened

o_donnel_abu

Sorry for the delay in doing this but we want to formally state that the IrelandOffline committee totally support Adam's suggestion for this blackout protest.

As you can see elsewhere on this forum, we have officially co-opted Adam onto the IOFFL committtee. Over the next few days, we will pull together the various ideas and suggestions and put forward some firm proposals on how we should approach this.

Once again, Adam, well done on taking the initiative on this and delighted to have you 'on board' - pun intended

Martin Harran
Chairman, IrelandOffline

CoNfOuNd

It sounds like a brilliant plan to me, you have my support, but I don't have any eircom services, so hum...

I'll tell a few media contacts if that helps. And I might even make it down to dublin.

you don't know me? aren't you lucky

smokin' an'chewin' man

Originally posted by Bard


As long as your type of attitude is in the majority - the easily giving up and disbelieving type - then yes, the result is pointless.

I for one, don't believe that it is.

Good on ya Adam.

Smokin' and etc.... if you've nothing useful/helpful to say... you know the rest.

Oh great. One member posts a wacky idea and another disagrees.

Out comes the MODERATOR, for god's sake, and more or less tries to shut the disagreer up.

Looks like the control freak is back in business and this board is being knobbled.

If Eircom or the ODTR is looking at this board they are sure to notice that free exchange of ideas is losing out to those in control of the board.

How is anyone to know that the views expressed here represent anyone ? And who the heck is the moderator to start telling people to shut up anyway ?

chernobyl

go E-Hub, ps, im Gladiators 2'nd account..not
:)

dahamsta

chernobyl test

logic1

*** Now talking in #linux
*** Topic is 'http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=32149 - the most retarded idea in the world, sign up now.'
*** Set by Dogbert on Sat Sep 29 23:31:40

Taken from a topic in #linux on Phishynet (irc.indigo.ie)

Some people obviously don't feel the need for any kind of resolution to the current situation. This kind of foolishness is uneeded IMO.

.logic.

dahamsta

Originally posted by o_donnel_abu
Sorry for the delay in doing this but we want to formally state that the IrelandOffline committee totally support Adam's suggestion for this blackout protest.

As you can see elsewhere on this forum, we have officially co-opted Adam onto the IOFFL committtee. Over the next few days, we will pull together the various ideas and suggestions and put forward some firm proposals on how we should approach this.

Once again, Adam, well done on taking the initiative on this and delighted to have you 'on board' - pun intended

Martin Harran
Chairman, IrelandOffline

Thanks Martin.

adam

Bard

Originally posted by smokin' an'chewin' man

Out comes the MODERATOR, for god's sake, and more or less tries to shut the disagreer up.

Looks like the control freak is back in business and this board is being knobbled.

...

And who the heck is the moderator to start telling people to shut up anyway ?

I'm not telling and didn't tell ANYONE to "shut up"...

I merely hinted that if you've nothing useful or helpful to say then you shouldn't contribute.

Disagreeing isn't necessarily unhelpful... sutty made a few good points, for example... but writing off an idea and saying that it's a pointless one without giving real and valid reasons for saying so ... is just plain pointless in itself and does not help the conversation.

Okay?