Avocado
One of the major problems facing any society that grows to the size and importance of Redbrick is internal administration. The Avocado was an attempt by a group of admins to form a body to discuss technical administrative issues relating to Redbrick. Due to unfortunate miscommunication, paranoia and possibly pride, there was a great deal of disagreement between the "Avocado" and the Committee, relating to the issue of unelected admins. Neither side wanted to back down, and both held views which offended the other. In the end, a kludged compromise was agreed to by both sides, and the matter has gone into the limbo known as the "summer holidays". The final structure of the new technical body is as yet undecided, or at the very least, undisclosed.
The Avocado consisted of Cthulhu, Whc, Valen, Bobb, Spinal, Grimnar, Pooka and DrJolt. Singer was undefined in his status. Doc's presence was also a point of disagreement. Cthulhu was "chairman". Grimnar was the "secretary".
The Avocado was one of Redbrick's greatest missed opportunities, but hopefully some system can be created that will accomodate both sides, and be effective.
--Sares
Just a few wee things that need to be fleshed out. The Avocado was the name given by Valen to a body known as the Admin Sub-Committee. The idea behind such a thing was to allow Redbrick's Admins, past and present to have a forum for the discussion of technical matters to do with the system's software, hardware and the future of the Society's technical side. On paper it sounded like a damn-fine 'Wish we'd thought of it idea' but, without wanting to get into a bitch-fest about this, a one-armed mental retard could have handled a basketball better than some people chose to handle this idea.
Just to correct what Sares said there were differences between the Avocado and the Committee, but on many more issues than that of 'unelected admins' though that was one of the major ones. A sad lack of communication and the refusal of some people on BOTH sides of the arguement to, let alone see the other side's point of view, but even to admit that people on the other side had a right to a view led to an increasing amount of bitterness about it. Then, happily, personal differences came into it with an effect similar to forcing an Orange March thru Crossmaglen on Easter Sunday.
Over a series of Committee meetings, Avocado meetings, one-on-one negotiations in darkened rooms and arm-twisting in pubs on a scale not seen since they did away with Grattan's Parliament the situation was 'defused' leaving behind a residue of mistrust and bad feelings that, sadly, have continued to exist in Redbrick 'leadership' circles.
The Avocado Crises was not the fault of any one person (Though there are many people who would disagree with that and have very set and differing ideas of whose fault it was) or any one issue but was simply the result of poor handling of the situation in the setting up of the Avocado by its membership and then an escalation of poor handling on both sides, dreadful miscommunication and a powerful set of personal grudges and personality clashes.
Currently the situation is in a holding pattern, though most of the bitterness has been allowed to dissipate. All sides agree that the Admins need a forum of sorts to allow them to perform to their utmost but what shape this forum will take and what its powers and membership will be has not been resolved and for the good of the Society the protagonists will sort it, and themselves out over the Summer.
--Cain
It should be noted that only a subset of the list of advocado members were actually leading the movement - I for one thought the way the ringleaders approached the whole "We are a subcommittee" notion was less than sensbile, and the only real reason I was in any way associated was my desire to have input into the admin process.
--DrJolt
Origionally from the Encyclopedia