[Chapter-delegates] [SPAM?] Re: Problems with new membership system - lets remove the dust

Sat Jun 15 02:04:04 PDT 2019

Hallo Andrew,

thanks for asking.

Andrew Sullivan via Chapter-delegates schrieb am 14.06.19 um 21:33:
> Hi Klaus,
>
> Thanks for this.  A question below.
>
> On Fri, Jun 14, 2019 at 08:17:04PM +0200, Klaus.Birkenbihl--- via Chapter-delega> 
>> So what about *approach 2*? Here my very easy and simple solution (KISS design) - which should work at least for those many chapters who have a working local admin system in place. Assertion: every chapter keeps record of their members' ISOC-IDs:
>>
>>  1. the chapter sends a list of all ISOC-IDs of its members to AMS twice to four times a year.
>>  2. AMS reads the list and tags every ID on the list as "is member of chapter ...".
>>  3. Every ID that has a "is member of chapter ..." tag but is not on the list will have the tag removed.
>>  4. AMS and local systems are in sync.
> If, in addition, you had an API by which step 1 could be done retail
> (i.e. every time you added a member or whatever), would that be
> useful?  Or something that you (not "anybody", but you in particular)
> would not use?
>
> Best regards.
> A

Not being an expert on databases I feel I should be open for critique, improvements and alternatives. I'm sure when it comes to details  there might be better solutions. So I'm open for any solution that is technically sound, meets obvious automation requirements, and avoids unreasonable work and overhead. My proposal is just an example to illustrate that this might be feasible  and could be kept simple.

Regarding your question: If it is a requirement that chapter and ISOC databases are in sync on a daily/hourly basis the mechanism for an incremental update would be obvious. Exchanging a list of "add ID", "remove ID" on every change in a chapter's database should do it. Maybe it could be combined with e.g. biannual full updates (as proposed) to eliminate mistakes.

My question to ISOC staff (even if I only have to work on 50-100 records that should be synced): why is the only tool to do this a PointAndClick desert, with no (obvious?) options to obtain (see Olivier's mail 12 Feb 2019 14:53:51 -0800) or submit data in an machine readable form. All on top the AMS system is tricky: it e.g. makes assumptions about the duration of memberships, maintains member stati beyond "is" or "is not" etc. which - if not carefully examined for each and every record - could provoke errors or spoil the work of today tomorrow.

Last not least on incentives and effect: AMS data is the base for the evaluation of chapters. So diligently spending time on feeding this system can boost a chapter's score. But obviously this goes on top of - or competes with - project work, preparation of an event, discussion with policy makers, talking to journalists, writing a blog post  ... (which btw. is much more fun).

Best regards

Klaus

-- 
Klaus Birkenbihl
Treasurer and Board Member
Internet Society German Chapter (ISOC.DE) e.V.
c/o ict-Media GmbH
https://www.isoc.de

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